PROGRESS TOWARD WHAT?

A perennially fascinating theme for me to ponder is progress, human progress, especially the idea that, given time enough, our intelligent species will make its erratic way toward a state of flourishing which in earlier years could only have been dreamt of as “god-like” or “utopian.”

Quite obviously, however, looking about at the world today, we remain far off from that wished-for state of being. Conflicts abound, from interpersonal to international, at ever more lethal levels.

Our explosively populous species devours the world’s resources and despoils its earthly habitat with abandon. Our inventive technologies, admirable artifacts of our intellect though they be, are often used with wanton disregard for the health of Earth’s ecosystems or the well-being of humanity in the long run.

How oh how, then, might the wisdom emerge and prevail that can guide us to a higher state of collective consciousness and persuade sufficient numbers of human beings to behave sanely?

In so many ways, so many of us behave insanely—unhealthily in body, mind and spirit. How can that change? How can we learn that “evil” is an illness that can and must be cured, and soon, before our infected world succumbs and perishes?

Health, healing, wholeness, wellness (all words from one root) constitute the wisdom we are seeking, both individually and worldwide. What wiser calling could there be than to commit oneself to the quest for sanitas?

What then is progress for us except the pursuit of sanity: physical, mental, moral, and spiritual? We profess no higher wisdom and proclaim no greater goal.

If this be true, let us progress whole-heartedly.

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