Open Letter to the World

Dear World,

How are you? Well, I hope. We haven’t spoken in a while.

Probably never.

I’m writing because we have a problem. I haven’t said anything, but things have been bothering me for a while. I’m just going to lay it out, and we can talk later if you want.

I know we’re doing our best for the most part. Don’t think I’m not grateful, and please don’t think that I’m blaming you for everything. I should have spoken up sooner, and I take my share of the blame for letting things get out of hand.

Anyway, here’s the problem. We always assume the worst about people. Not just me, but everyone. That bothers me. I know that lots of people are “looking out for number one,” but lots of us are trying to put other people first. We’re doing our best to “love our neighbors as ourselves.”

We don’t see that. Or at least, not at first.

Maybe it’s our “Reality TV” culture that’s to blame. We instill every interaction with fake drama. Emotional self-worth depends on our skills of one-upmanship. We can’t stand it when our opinions are questioned or challenged.

Ego keeps our focus on personal power. We’re so afraid of losing what little influence we’ve managed to accrue that we can’t be generous toward anyone else. Bitterness and even hatred become our modus operandi. I feel sorry for us, World.

When our worldview is limited with this myopic focus on self and ego, we miss opportunities to make the planet a better place. When we can’t allow others to shine and grow, our miserly attitude keeps us miserable. How can we hope to prosper and grow as a species if we continue like this?

Please, World, try to see the good in people. Allow other people to be good and right. Believe that people want good things for you as well as themselves. Believe that there is enough goodwill to go around and that you don’t need to hoard it all for yourself.

I expect good things from you, World. You’ve been experiencing some growing pains lately, but in general, things are moving in the right direction. Don’t let your blind spots hold you back. You need all of your constituent parts working together. No single person has the answer. No single person has the master plan.

If we want to keep moving forward, we need to do it together, and the only way to do that is to elevate each other, not tear each other down. Expect the best from each other and allow us to live up to our expectations. It’s not naive. It’s optimistic but not hopeless.

So, please write me back, or we can talk next time I see you. Thanks for listening, World. Let’s make things right.

Sincerely,

Ken