Our Beautiful Host

By Adriana Carcu

I was watching a documentary on TV the other day. It was called, The Secret World-Power and it was about ants. Now, just like I knew that all the animals survival strategies are guided by one single overpowering instinct - that of preservation of species - I knew that ants were amazingly well organized. What I didn't know was that they were such amazing architects. After the under earth galleries of an anthill in the Pampa were filled with 36 tons of concrete, the architectonic wonder that came to light after weeks of digging can only be compared to a science fiction city, the size of a real house.

But that is not the point I am trying to make here. Towards the end of the film, the commentator said something that suddenly drew my attention. He said that the ants are so powerful, not because of their remarkable intelligence but because they align against their natural enemies. A pure survival thing, like we know it from all the animal stories.

And that, for some reason, clicked in. In that moment I realized that we, the human race - by being the most developed beings on earth; the corollary of all forms of existence -, don't have any natural enemies anymore. We have vanquished them all along the millennia through the power of our thought and deed. We have made them all subject to our knowledge. At first I was, I admit, tempted to breathe in and exhale in pride: We, the most accomplished species on the surface of the earth! And then, after a moment's reflection I have realized that exactly there lies the danger: we have no natural enemy anymore.

Our natural enemy was replaced by a greater danger: ourselves. We are our worst enemy. And that, through a process which is not even very sophisticated, turns back into nature. The equation is simple: Our greed makes us think in terms of immediate profit and ignore the long range consequences of our acts. Out of greed we destroy our own means of survival. No animal would ever do that.

We act ruthlessly and commit mortal sins against the Earth, forgetting that we are her guests. Guests behave! And then, one good day the Earth has enough of this insanity and strikes back. We call that -natural catastrophes. Well, let me tell you, there are almost no catastrophes nowadays due to natural causes. The causes are unnatural: they are us. Greed is not a natural cause.

Now, that another year is going by, and each of us, I am sure, takes some time to review the past and make new resolutions, I wish that we all take a minute to consider the proportion of the damage we inflict on ourselves.

I wish that we show respect to our beautiful host: The Earth.

I wish that we learn to revert to our most amazing instinct: the instinct of survival.

Have a joyful Celebration!