In a remote town at the foothills of a mountain densely populated with trees, a stone’s throw away from where ducks wade in a clean river, and small fish swim happily close to where the river meets the sea, Joey Ayala’s song seems to be in perfect harmony with the scenic surroundings.
It’s one of those places where one wakes up in the morning, takes a stroll down the riverbank to the sea, enjoying the clean air under bright blue skies, and comes home with fish freshly caught with a handheld net, or part of a fisherman’s catch generously shared with whoever helps to bring the fish to shore.
Some distance away, a waterfall cascades down a mountain, offering fresh, clean drinking water to the townsfolk on the plains below—free! It is a community where each one knows everyone else, where neighbors help each other and celebrate occasions together.
Ironically, this idyllic and tranquil “paradise” is often woefully described by its own people as “poor,” “nonprogressive” and “behind the times.” Comparing their simple neighborhood to others, they feel inferior because they do not have malls, shops, big office buildings or other structures that denote progress. Thus, many of their bright young minds leave town “to find greener pasture.”
These “greener pastures” are often to be found in huge megalopolises with towering skyscrapers, malls, restaurants, banks, amusement areas, hotels, condominiums, and the like, often devoid of greenery and various expressions of natural life. People are busier, and to keep up with time, disposables become the norm.
Meantime, in the conduct of their businesses, while there are companies that genuinely care for the environment, many others conduct activities that result in a degradation of the environment, with irreversible consequences, which, most often, affect the poor.
As technology and “progress” moves ahead in these “greener pastures,” people spend longer hours at work, or in front of computers, cellphones and TVs. Life is more hurried; there is less time for face-to-face human relationships, the environment becomes more polluted, the trees disappear, calamities affect more and more people, and suddenly, everything is for sale!
With no place for nature to thrive, even basic food and clean drinking water have to be sourced elsewhere and obtained for a price, leaving the poor who cannot afford them, even more deprived.
Is this truly the way we want to go? Do we want economic and technological advancement at the expense of Mother Earth, our fellow human beings and future generations which may no longer enjoy the beauty and abundance of the earth’s riches? Will our current notion of progress only lead humanity to self destruction? Is there possibly another way?
In his encyclical “Laudato Si’,” Pope Francis urgently appeals “for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet.” The condition of humanity and our environment has its roots in human hearts, and every effort to preserve our common home begins with a profound and deliberate conversion that likewise starts from you and me, from each one of us.
Every action of ours has an effect on humanity and our common home… every candy wrapper we carelessly throw away or every plastic straw we use at a fast-food shop may end up in the river, adding to all other trash mindlessly discarded by millions of people.
Every act of ours has repercussions on the cosmos… How much water we use when we brush our teeth, what we do with an overturned flower pot, an injured animal, the neighbor next door, the beggar on the street, the unborn child, old people and the sick… every appliance we turn on, every new item we buy, every decision we make, every policy we adopt in our companies… everything…
“Ang lahat ng bagay ay magkaugnay…” What kind of connections do we wish to establish?
