On the need for visioning
[3-9-04]

Frequent Visitor and Witherspoon member Brian "BJ" Jordan reminds us of the need to keep asking the question "What if ...?" In this political year (like what year isn't?) the need for vision may be more urgent than ever.

A letter from Frequent Visitor and Witherspoon member Brian "BJ" Jordan

Since the beginning of recorded time - humanity has asked the question of 'What If'.

What if I hit that animal with a stone?
What if I wore that animal skin?
What if I lived inside that cave?

Early 'what ifs' centered on survival. They questioned the nature of environment and our ability to live another day in it. We searched for food, shelter, and mates. We wondered about rain and sun and moon and stars. We questioned 'What If' we tried to eat this leaf or that berry and 'What if' we waded out into the water to search for fish or cool off. What would happen? What could be?

The question and Challenge of 'What If' is that part of human nature that keeps us coming back for more, the same part that attempts to quench our curiosity while opening the door to creative problem solving.

As we moved on, we questioned life and death, we asked the 'what ifs' of society and community as we gathered amongst ourselves to find safer, simpler - yet more complex ways to survive. From the Ice ages to the Dark ages 'what ifs' continued to pile up with challenges met and with unanswered existential questions laying the foundation for a future based on flourishing as opposed to simple survival.

Today is no different - though that to which the question points is another testament to our communal evolution. Today we ask:

What if there is life beyond earth?
What if there really is a theory of everything?
What if we refused dependence on finite resources?
What if the common ground amongst world religions is more than coincidence?
What if we legislated on Peace and Love and not War and Hate?

When we accept the challenge of 'What If' we accept the challenge of working toward a brighter tomorrow and a better way. Today we are on the edge looking over, callously driven by fear further and further away from answering the "what ifs" of this day and age. There are clearly those who find the quest for answers - and even the pursuit of "what ifs"- threatening. Therefore the path before us is one riddled with intentional brambles and ripe with tempting alternatives.

However - we must not bow, cower or let our complicity be bought by those who wish to curtail the pursuit and evolution of humanity.

This is human history. This is our destiny.

Destiny was not intended to be left only to those who wished to realize its manifestation between the folds of their Gucci wallets. Nay, for destiny is really about the eventuality and realization of the potential of all of mankind - not just the greed-driven elites.

Americans are blessed by circumstance and history. We have been afforded a moment in time unlike many others. We live in the richest, most powerful country in the history of the world. Founded on core beliefs rooted in the idealism of a Jeffersonian model of republic, the framework of the nation in which we survive affords us an unparalleled opportunity to flourish and bring the rest of humanity along for the ride.

Today, in this time and place, as an ordinary fish in the vast sea of human existence, I challenge you to ask yourself:

What if the masses listened to their own hearts?
What if the masses made up their own mind?
What if the masses said NO to the media deciding their future?
What if we legislated based on treating strangers as ourselves?
What if we all cared enough to vote?

Tomorrow's utopia starts today. The potential of the future resides in the feet, hands and minds of each of us. If we do not seize on it, if we do not realize it - we will become the eternal "What If" question on the minds of cherubs and seraphim for eons to come.

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