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When I Am Gone . . .

By Arlene F. Harder, MA, MFT

NOTE: While this piece is also in the Making a Difference section, we have included it here for one important reason. If we view our lives as part of the entire sweep of history, we may recognize that death has always been, and will always be, an integral part of the history of humankind. It is not how long we live that matters, but how we live.

If we lived 700 or 800 or 900 years instead of 70 or 80 or 90 years, we may become so weary of countless conflicts, wars, and changing borders that we would welcome the rest and peace that death would bring. However, it's possible that a longer life would mean history would not have to repeat itself. We would remember what happened the last time we got into a similar situation. Certainly we'd have a different perspective on the long-term consequences of our actions.

For example, if the Portuguese sailors on Mauritius in 1600 had the advantage of the larger picture, they wouldn't have wiped out those queer dodo birds and today we could still enjoy them. If the people of Los Angeles had the experience of centuries, they would have realized that drawing so much water from the Owen's valley to feed their swimming pools and golf courses would have disastrous effects on Owen's lake.

So it would appear that one reason we are short-sighted is because our lives are relatively short. Thus we are predisposed to focus only on what is happening during those 70 or 80 or 90 years from our birth to our death.

But imagine what the world would be like if we could expand our time-limited vision and experience our lives as simply part of the flow of humanity and of other living beings for millenniums. Suppose we took school children to a naturally occurring place they would consider special (Disneyland won't do). Suppose we asked them to imagine all the people in centuries past who might have stood at that same spot. Suppose we then asked them to think of those who will come after they are gone, people who will be born many years in the future. As we helped them stretch their minds back into the past and far into the future, they would become much more aware of their role in protecting this earth.

"When I Am Gone . . ." is a poem that touches on this topic. It expresses the appreciation for what I was given when I was born and what I must treasure and protect so the earth can continue to offer its blessings for generations to come.

"When I Am Gone . . ." — Illustrated poem for faster modems

"When I Am Gone . . ." — Illustrated poem for slower modems

"When I Am Gone . . ." — Text only

If you want to share your comments on this topic, please drop me a line at arlene@learningplaceonline.com.