There are things that we humans do to others that I will never understand. Slavery is unthinkable to me. It is as obviously horrific as murder. There is no way, in no place or historical era in which I would have somehow thought it would be okay to treat other people like property, a source of labor and wealth. The same is true of true of believing that any one race or person or socio economic group is somehow superior or inferior to another. Why do we make so many aspects of our being into contests that judge certain features to be more beautiful than others? Can’t we see the innate beauty of each individual? Can’t we accept and respect people just as they are? 

Children are innocent when they are born and somehow over time we send them cues that make them believe that there are optimal ways of looking and being. We celebrate certain talents, skills, achievements, physical features. Whether directly or indirectly we also send messages that there are also human features that societies have deemed somehow less acceptable. The color of skin, the texture of hair, the symmetry of faces are lionized or even detested. Children see these things. They hear the praise or the insults and slowly internalize their feelings about themselves and others. 

I suppose that it is almost impossible to be totally neutral in assessing the people that we encounter but it would be so much better if we were able to see the beauty that lies below the superficialities of how genetics came together to create our images. Why do we literally find some individuals more attractive than others? Is this an innate or learned trait? Are we this way because of the sins of Adam and Eve? Would we be more innocent and loving if only they had simply enjoyed the perfection of paradise without bowing to temptation? Is their story simply a way of explaining why we humans become envious and sometimes even murderous like Cain? Did the ancient Greek tragedies foreshadow all of the horrific human made disasters to come?

If I had never experienced jealously or anger I might believe that it should not be so difficult to just get along with the people around us. Sadly I have known those moments when I was infuriated by someone’s slights or annoying behavior. I have known the green eyed monster of envy. I have met some people who came close to perfection but none that made it all the way. We all find ourselves saying and doing ugly or hurtful things. Our feet of clay sometimes set us off balance. Our shame and our apologies can’t always make up for the harm we have done. Bad behaviors strain our relationships or unravel them all together. In the worst case scenarios they inflict unforgivable pain. 

I have heard the religious explanations for why we are the way we are. I have contemplated psychology and learning theory. We humans have been studied for centuries by philosophers and doctors and researchers. We have some good ideas about how to raise healthy, happy children who will become mostly wonderful adults. We still struggle to understand what exactly creates a thief or a murderer or a dictator. Perhaps violence in childhood begets more violence as an adult but there are indeed cases of perfectly good families spawning a monster. I suppose that each of us is a complex product of our individual genetics and every single interaction that we experience. 

We will probably argue forever over whether we are born as sinners and have to be saved or we come to this world innocent and learn how to sin or not sin as we watch and learn from the people around us. it would be wonderful if there were some magical formula or elixir that might make everyone fair and kind. In a perfect world none of us would know what anger is. Everyone would be treasured as a unique gift in our midst. Life would indeed be a utopian haven of rainbows and unicorns. Instead we have to work at doing the right thing, being as upbeat and wonderful as we possibly can. 

The world seems to be a mess right now, but if we honestly look as far back as the first mutterings of written history we see that it has always been plagued with problems. We have improved many things but we can’t rest on our laurels as long as people anywhere are suffering because of their fellow humans. We really should base most of our decisions on what they will mean, not just for us personally, but for everyone across the globe. Our goal should always be to make the world safer and better. It’s nice if we have our comfortable homes and lives but we should never forget those who are less fortunate. There is always a way to share our bounty. 

Whether one is religious or not, the Beatitudes as writted by Matthew so beautifully describe the ways that we should strive to be. 

• Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
• Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. 
• Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted. 
• Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. 
• Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 
• Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. 
• Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 
• Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

We may not always live up to these ideals but we should certainly teach our children to strive to be their best and to be forgiving and merciful when they or someone they know is not. We are not likely to eliminate crime or war or even family conflicts but we can keep trying to get closer and closer to eliminating some of our very worst habits. There is no reason to give up on ourselves or each other. Goodness grows from on kind act at a time. Our goal should be to do no harm as best we can.