On
Becoming Human
By
David
Krieger
President, The
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
TFF
associate
February 26, 2002
To be human is to recognize the cultural perspectives
that bind us to tribe, sect, religion, or nation, and to
rise above them. It is to feel the pain of the
dispossessed, the downtrodden, the refugee, the starving
child, the slave, the victim.
To be human is to break the ties of cultural
conformity and group-think, and to use one's own mind. It
is to recognize good and evil, and to choose good. It is
to consider with the heart. It is to act with
conscience.
To be human is to be courageous. It is to choose the
path of compassion. It is to sacrifice for what is just.
It is to break the silence. It is to be an unrelenting
advocate of human decency and human dignity.
To be human is to breathe with the rhythm of life, and
to recognize our kinship with all forms of life. It is to
appreciate every drop of water. It is to feel the warmth
of the sun, and to marvel at the beauty and expanse of
the night sky. It is to stand in awe of who we are and
where we live. It is to see the Earth with the eyes of an
astronaut.
To be human is to be aware of our dependence upon the
whole of the universe, and of the miracle that we are. It
is to open our eyes to the simple and extraordinary
beauty that is all about us. It is to live with deep
respect for the sacred gift of life. It is to love.
To be human is to seek to find ourselves behind our
names. It is to explore the depths and boundaries of our
existence. It is to learn from those that have preceded
us, and act with due concern for those who will follow
us.
To be human is to plant the seeds of peace, and
nurture them. It is to find peace and make peace. It is
to help mend the web of life. It is to be a healer of the
planet.
To be human is to say an unconditional No to warfare,
and particularly to all weapons of mass destruction. It
is to take a firm stand against all who profit from
warfare and its preparation.
To be human is not always to succeed, but it is always
to learn. It is to move forward despite the
obstacles.
We are all born with the potential to become human.
How we choose to live will be the measure of our
humanness. Civilization does not assure our civility. Nor
does being born into the human species assure our
humanity. We must find our own path to becoming
human.
©
TFF & the author 2002
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