For Adam

Adam died last year, i have no idea how. He was a classmate from an ocean ago and a lifetime away. I found his short blog site the other day, & his last words were to the effect that he felt hopeful because although things had been better, they could be worse. A month later, he died.

Most of us like to think that we seek a kinder, gentler world, and that by living as we do, we are making it so. We dedicate ourselves to building a better future for generations to follow. What disturbs me about Adam's death is that although he was comfortable with his homosexuality, others were not. Because of this, his relationships were difficult, heartbreak was inevitable, loneliness became a way of life. How can we have a kinder, gentler world when there is so much intolerance of that which is not harmful?

Be intolerant of those who refuse to be educated. Stupidity is without doubt harmful to society. Be intolerant of cruelty, for it breeds fear which stunts individual growth and keeps a society from flourishing. Be intolerant of those who discriminate against all things we should accept as surely as we accept the daily sunrise – differences in religion, gender, age, ethnic background, health, marital status & children, sexual preference.

It seems people will always find something to discriminate against, something about which to say You differ from Me, I am better than You. Such thinking belongs to those who lack confidence in themselves, those who have to find others to put down in order to raise themselves up, those who cannot think for themselves but take up the banner of generations past, or those who believe this world is only for the like-minded, with no room for individual freedoms.

Too many personal conflicts and wars large and small but wars nonetheless are waged because of religious differences, because of the color of one's skin, because he is gay, because "she" is not to be treated as an equal to "him." For every injustice, we all pay the price. But in my country, on my planet, i am determined that we shall have -- and i shall live it -- that kinder, gentler world.

Adam, named at birth for the first human biblical creation, died. For his loneliness in life, i grieve. For the intolerance others showed him, i am angry. Wherever Adam is now, i hope he is hugged, warm, loved, happy, and free.