Are We There Yet?

In a recent disaster, a man was asked why he would keep searching for a loved one, even when he knew there was little hope of any survivors. He was told repeatedly, the chances of finding anyone still alive were very slim.

The man replied, "I don't want to wake up five years from now and ask - what if? What if I had only done this or that?"

He wanted to exhaust all his options. Suppose the lost relative was still alive, injured somewhere and unable to speak or remember.

"If I do everything now... I won't be continuously asking myself... what if I had only done that? What if only I had tried a little bit harder?"

This man's philosophy is one we should use to examine our own actions. Do you live up to such high standards? Do you exhaust all options, all opportunities... in the pursuit of your goals.

If you did; there would be no regrets. You would have given it your best shot. You would have exhausted all your options. You could never ask yourself ... what if?

Or will you wake up years from now... and ask if only I had done that. If only I had followed my true feelings.

And what about the 'collective what if?'

Initial response to this recent disaster was criticized - it was said certain countries should have responded quicker or offered more assistance...

As a society, or a group of people - is there also a 'what if?'

Can we ask ourselves a collective what if... what if a nation or a group of nations had maxed out all their options and did everything they could possibly do to help in this situation. Surely, it would make a difference.

And in doing so - wouldn't we also acquire the same 'peace of mind' as this man. Just something to think about.

At the same time - lets be realistic. We may not reach our goals.

As an artist I have always found the journey more important and more interesting than the destination. The process more important than the product.

But artists are a little warped! Their thinking is a little off!

Or is it really, maybe we have just been looking at it in the wrong way. Maybe our thinking just hasn't evolved yet - Darwin's been sleeping way too much lately!

Maybe we should switch the gear to neutral and throw it into reverse. Then we could say:

It's not so much the journey that counts; but what we do along the way.

The reach is the grasp!

For even if you're grasping at straws sometimes - at least you're making the effort.

You're doing the best you can possibly do.

Satisfaction can come from within, it doesn't always have to be external or delusional! There is something to be said for 'that peace of mind'!

Especially, in very trying times such as a disaster, a personal crisis, or the loss of a loved one... it does make a difference.

Applied to the bigger picture - we may never completely solve the world's problems...world hunger, world peace or the latest world crisis.

All very daunting tasks. But it all starts with the collective what if; or rather with everyone working together as a group to eliminate all the 'what ifs'. To exhaust all possible options.

Perhaps, even more daunting, is the possibility of all of us working together to help those in need. Are we really at that stage? Will we ever get there?

Maybe the journey is a little longer than we first thought and we're just not there yet.

Lets all hope it's just around the corner.

And that we all get there.

Titus Hoskins

Copyright © 2005

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