Destruction and Acknowledgement
Location
The Northern Atlantic Right Whale
was nearly driven to extinction
by whalers who killed them
because they were the easiest whale to hunt.
In today's society,
just over five hundred
Northern Atlantic Right Whales are left in the wild.
It's hard to comprehend the way
the universe works,
until you look into the eye of a Right Whale
and understand that all has been forgiven.
You are not your ancestors.
You are not your past.
Each whale that I encountered,
each scar and marking,
reminded me of the cruelty
they had suffered,
but assured me of the future.
In an ideal world,
there would be no extinction.
No species in endangerment,
no need for conservation.
But humans, as a whole,
are a destructive force.
How can we include ourselves in nature,
when we are the ones who are
tearing it down?
How can we live with in pure bliss,
while we are really living in ignorance?
What uplifts me?
I am uplifted when I am assured.
When I am assured that the number of Right Whales
is increasing everyday,
I have hope.
And hope is what we have to hold onto,
when we live in a world
where annihilation is more prevalent than construction.
I am uplifted when I realize
how beautiful the world truly is.
I am uplifted when I am reminded
that we are all equal.
Whales to humans,
humans to whales.