Humanity's Evolution, Part VIII

 By Renee Hughes

Gershom led me over to one of the tables. I managed to muster some enthusiasm for a beautiful fluffy white confection littered with multicolored sprinkles. It reminded me of a rainbow glowing in the clouds. I often saw them after a rainstorm. I had even become the rain, so I could feel the light refracting through the drops creating that natural wonder. Perhaps eating one now would help me with my conflicting thoughts.

Unfortunately, it tasted nothing like the experience. It was too heavy and sweet. A sharp contrast to the refreshing quality of water and airy substance of light. I was unable to finish, so I placed it back on the table.

"Not to your taste?" Gershom asked me. I turned towards him. He was eating raw fish wrapped in a rice roll. I believe the name for it was sushi. Only a few brave Little Dragons had touched food actually made from animals. "How can you eat that?" I asked him. His unconventional thoughts and ideas were starting to really annoy me.

Gershom shrugged his shoulder. "We are being authentic remember besides no one here killed any animals for this banquet. It is all conjured from pure energy."

"I know," I said further irritated by his logical statement. "But I still find it hard to eat even representations of animals."

"A difference between you and me," he said right before he popped another one into his mouth.

"It isn't the only one I think," I said while watching him. My mind still in turmoil over his earlier revelations. True choices were less likely to flourish if a moral code was given to a society. He used the example of starvation, a negative experience, as a way of allowing a physical entity to truly understand themselves. The question now became could a positive experience, one engendered by a moral code, do the same thing? I had to believe this was possible.

I squared my shoulders. "In history not all growth was created solely by negative experiences such as suffering. Love and Joy also inspired change in our ancestors."

Gershom gave me a small grimace "Yes, of course those emotions inspired change but I find that pre-enlightened humans were more addicted to their own comforts rather than that of their neighbor. As long as they weren't suffering, most were happy with the status quo."

"True," I acknowledged. "But there were remarkable individuals who were moved by the plight of others even though their own circumstances were favorable. Many of them created ripples of change that didn't fade even after their physical existence."

Gershom didn't deny my argument but I could tell he was unconvinced. "As you pointed out these people were remarkable and rare. When they left a new status quo usually asserted itself and all the injustices that the one human strove to end didn't truly leave. The struggles continued and it wasn't until we truly tired of the struggles that the age of enlightenment came to be. The struggle preceded the true choice of our eventual elevation to our current state. Suffering came first without it I am not sure we would have evolved."

His argument was very logical. I soon realized with a sinking heart, I would never be able to convince him or anyone based on logic. Then how come I couldn't shake the belief that there were other ways to reach enlightenment, and the planet project offered us a chance to test my theory. A single word came to mind faith. I was taking a leap of faith. The moral code was acquired through our suffering. Why must the new inhabitants suffer again to learn what we already knew. Let them take a different journey and teach us.

I looked at Gershom and smiled. I, no longer groped for the answer and was grateful for his insight. One does not truly know themselves until they have the choice to choose something else.

"What is it?" my companion asked. A look of puzzlement on his face at my sudden change of mood.

"I think you and I will make a good team," I said to him.

That ends Part VIII. Next month is Part IX. If you have enjoyed this piece, please consider giving a donation of time or money to your favorite charity. A few worthwhile local organizations are Safe Futures, Inc., Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut and Thames Valley Council for Community Action. Together we can make a difference!

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