Question of the Day

My pal Miss T, over at Love Big, Bake Often, has discovered a question-of-the-day journalling website. I can't get the .pdfs open but do want to answer the question posed today: what would you change about the world? I agreed with all of Miss T's answers and would boil them down to one word: respect. I would inject respect into our personal and public behaviors--respect for ourselves, respect for others, respect for the planet. I would demand respect from corporations and governments--respect for other peoples as well as individuals, respect for the planet, respect for differences, respect for the past and for the future, as well as the present. With more respect there would be more dialogue and less violence (on interpersonal and international levels); consensus building instead of partisanship; improvement in the environment; equal rights for women, ethnic and religious minorities, and GLBTs; equitable pay; health coverage; as well as just a general increase in civility which improves day-to-day well being. I can see it leading to so many wonderful things. But it is so hard to overcome fear and distrust and create respect, especially where there is such a history of distrust and disrespect. I think, however, that the election of Barack Obama is proof that we are taking steps in the right direction. Next Tuesday can't come soon enough for me.