I took this essay to my writers workshop, but I haven’t changed much after their critiques, because their opinions didn’t alter mine. It’s a little tongue-in-cheek, but here you go.
When I was in high school, I read a lot of poetry because I was trying to learn to write it. One of my favorite poets was Joy Harjo, and one of my favorite poems was her “Once the World Was Perfect.” I went back to it again and again - I think it gave my depressed teenage soul some hope. Harjo became the first Native American to serve as the United States Poet Laureate a few years ago, and I took it as a personal validation of my taste in poets and poetry.
“Once the world was perfect, and we were happy in that world.
Then we took it for granted.”
- Joy Harjo
And it goes on, beautifully, but I won’t include it all here - you can look it up if you like. It reminds me of this cartoon:
I’ve said for many years that I’m not a fan of the plan.
God’s plan, that is.
Assuming that He/She had one. That they didn’t create the world and all the wonders in it, then plop a couple of people down, and say, “Bless you, kids. I’ve given you a virtual paradise in which to live, plenty of sustenance in the form of edible flora and fauna, beautiful bodies capable of experiencing intense pleasure as a lure to procreate, and free will to do as you please. Have fun.”
Of course, according to various religious tomes, there were rules. Check out your Bible, your Torah, your Triptitaka, your Vedas. But let’s face it, those books were written by human beings. Purportedly guided by the god of your choosing, but still.
All of them have noble goals in common: love one another, practice kindness and compassion, do good works, exercise self-control, don’t kill anybody, that sort of thing.
But good luck following those guidelines, people being who they are. Even those with the best of intentions tend to run afoul of the expected norms. And unfortunately there seem to be a boatload of greedy, vicious, downright evil souls among us.
Let’s face it, the whole being born, growing up, adulting, aging, sickening and dying gig is not great. Like I said, not a fan.
So I’ve come up with a plan of my own.
There are seven continents on planet Earth. I like that. The Creator did well on that one, so I think I’ll keep it. But in my world:
One million (or billion, you decide) people live in North America.
One million (or billion) people live in South America.
One million (or billion) people live in Africa.
Half a million (or billion) people live in Australia.
Half a million (or billion) people live in Europe.
Two million (or billion) people live in Asia.
Antarctica is unpopulated by people.
Six million (or billion) people are spread out among seven continents.
That population remains unchanged throughout time because of My Plan, which provides for a small percentage of each population to die each year, of old age - at least 90 - peacefully, in their sleep. They’ve lived long, productive lives and they’re tired.
Simultaneously, that exact number of babies are born into each population to eager, loving parents. Since every human in my world has experienced a happy, secure childhood themselves, they are equipped to offer the same to their own offspring.
Those babies are well cared for, because the earth provides plenty of nourishment for every living being, living in harmony with every other living being on the planet.
Those who do not wish to have children are balanced with those who wish to have more than two. There is no pressure involved.
Plant life abounds. Edible fruits, vegetables, and greens thrive in the worldwide moderate climate. There are changes of season, but nothing too extreme. The atmosphere is unpolluted, no holes in the ozone, no toxins in the waters.
Plastic will never be invented.
The fish and animal population is kept in check by those who desire to consume meat as their protein and by the balance of predators, who kill only when hungry, and then swiftly and efficiently.
There are no zoos.
The sun shines nearly every day, worldwide. A brief, light rain shower occurs almost every afternoon everywhere around the globe, watering plants and keeping dust down. Solar and wind energy powers nearly everything.
The nights are dark but the skies are filled with stars, fields and forests with fireflies, and the full moon shines brightly once a month, inviting lovers to bask in her light.
There are boats to traverse rivers, but ocean and air travel do not exist. There is no need to move too far from home when everything you need is at your fingertips. However, exogamy (the custom of marrying outside a community, clan, or tribe) is encouraged, in the interests of widening the gene pool. Consequently, there is no inbreeding, and high intelligence is the norm.
There is no overcrowding. Everyone has a job that they enjoy, as contributing members of their society. If they get bored, another job opens that is conducive to their skill set and interests. Each person is compensated equally for comparable work performed.
Those who wish to care for domestic animals are assigned the number and type they desire, and those creatures perish at the exact moment as their humans, no sooner, no later. Don’t ask me how that works. It’s just one of the little miracles I’ve cooked up in my plan.
There is no sickness.
There is no jealousy.
There is no murder.
There is no theft.
There is no rape or incest.
There is no suicide.
There is no heartbreak.
There is no suffering.
Grief is experienced by those who loved the elderly after they die, but there is no guilt, regret, confusion, or angst involved in the process, and therefore grief is short-lived, with good memories of the departed person quickly replacing the heartache.
Also, in every family experiencing a loss, a birth occurs at nearly the same time, providing joy and diversion. The entire family participates in the education of the children, each according to his or her area of expertise. Additionally, there are facilities staffed by those who prefer childcare to other jobs, for socialization and further learning for young children.
Colleges and universities abound. Students of all ages may be found in classrooms taught by experts with a passion for their chosen field of interest. Similarly, each community teems with cultural events of every sort. Museums, concert halls, theaters, and sports arenas are common everywhere, in every city and village.
Churches are more seldom seen, as competing organized religions no longer exist. The vast majority of the population seems to prefer to worship quietly, in nature. However, gatherings of like-minded people who enjoy camaraderie and music gather weekly with no apparent harm done, since no one disagrees with their choice.
Leadership can be a problem. We seem to want someone in charge, but how do we choose those individuals, and how do we know they will operate in our best interests and not just their own? Luckily, in my world, this is not difficult to resolve, because each person cares for the others as if they were part of the family, and can be trusted implicitly to institute programs and guidelines benefitting the entire community.
So that’s it in a nutshell, my plan for the perfect world. The mistake was turning it all over to mere mortals, for God’s sake. Or not, more’s the pity.
One more thing: my plan would include lots of different insects for pollination and feeding the birds, but absolutely no deer flies, ticks, or stink bugs. They serve no purpose whatsoever, in my opinion, and they are the bane of my existence.
But what of the things we’d miss? I suppose one could say that without sadness there can be no true joy. Longing for something or someone can be kind of a pleasant pain, and that wouldn’t exist in my plan. And theres always the prospect of changing one’s mind about a decision, whether concerning a job, a purchase, or even a relationship. That wouldn’t exist. Would boredom ensue?
“If God had made a perfect world, it would be a magic trick, not creation, with no meaning or place for us to learn and create. Mankind is not yet ready for a perfect world. We do not know how to appreciate perfection.” - Bernie Siegel
We’ll never know, of course. We’re stuck with the plan as it was apparently written. Being born, growing up, becoming adults, aging, weakness, and death, living in a world of pollution, corruption, overpopulation, evil, and violence. As I said, not a fan of the whole process.
And I could definitely do without the deer flies.
Sounds pretty appealing, right about now. Very nice writing--thanks, Marsi!
I thoroughly enjoyed the dream of your perfect world. What a joy it would be!