Let’s write a description of the world we really want. Let’s be exuberant and dare to create it. Picture it and be as particular as you can. Gardens on every city roof? What is growing there—corn? flowers? trees? Enjoy every detail. It is only possible if we imagine it.
You can share your response to this prompt below.
In My Perfectly Imagined World….
by Carolina Evans-Roman
,,,,,there would be no racism, no fear of anyone different than oneself, no one believing themselves better than anyone else whose skin is a different color, speaks a different language or worships a different God, in order to make themselves feel superior.
…..there would be a recognition that being bilingual or better still multilingual, is a good thing. That speaking another language enhances your knowledge and respect of other cultures and other perceptions of being in the world. Communication, problem solving, creating a sense of closeness, understanding and love of each other would be the goal of language, with no one one language better than another.
,,,,,there would be no poverty, no worries about feeding our children, no homeless people needing to beg on the streets while others drive by in their Porches and Mercedes and spit on them. Kindness would be seen in everyone’s eyes as you pass them on the street, a smile from those you don’t even know,
…..there would be respect for our elders, a respect that recognizes the wisdom they posses from living life so long. We would take care of our parents and grandparents as we were taken care of by them at one time. No putting them out to pasture when they can no longer move fast enough to be of value to our capitalist society or in a place where they can no longer be seen or heard while they wait to die.
…..there would be no animal hurt by human cruelty, no hunting for sport, no breeding for greed, no animals starving on the streets, no killing of rodents or insects who enter our space knowing that the space we call ours was actually theirs to begin with.
—–there would be no starvation in the world, no country more affluent than another. no armies, no tanks, no nuclear weapons, no fear of a world at war. Peace would be a deeply held value by all the world’s people, no terrorists, no uni-bombers, no riots on the streets, no students killed while they are sitting in school.
…..there would be no walls, no borders keeping out immigrants who are fleeing from violence or solely searching for a better life for their families, No separation of families, instead there will be a welcoming of those who want to live as we do, a compassion for their flight, a recognition of the talents and skills they bring and a willingness to share what we have.
—–there would be an accepted belief that all children are our children, making sure they are all fed, educated, loved and accepted so that they grow up feeling confident and special.
…..there would be healthcare for all, a human right that no one questions, not based on wealth or on the person’s ability to pay. No insurance companies dictating what procedures can or can’t be done, no prescriptions denied and made affordable for all,
…..there would be addiction centers available for all who need and want it, no waiting on a list for weeks for a bed to become available because of the person’s lack of money or insurance, a wait that may cause a death on the streets from an overdose. There would be, instead, a realization that addiction is a disease and that the addicted person is not weak, evil or to blame. They and their families would not be looked at as losers, thereby making it more difficult for them to seek help.
,,,,,there would be no allegiance to one country or to one flag, no thinking one country is better than another. We would all be citizens of the world. Our loyalty and allegiance to it would be to take care of it for the survival of all.
Carolina, I want to live in your world! I’m fighting for it right now.
What My Perfectly Imagined World Would Look Like
In my perfect imagined world we would see integrated neighborhoods, black, brown and white children hand in hand playing in parks together. Parents seemingly blind to the color and economic status of their children’s friends’ families as they arrange play dates, carpooling or walking a group to the local library. There would be interracial marriages without the whispers of disapproval behind the couple’s backs and beautiful interracial babies born into a world of acceptance and joy as if racism had never existed.
In agricultural fields, one would see farm workers of different colors and cultures. The music heard playing while they worked would reflect these differences and the pay for the back breaking job they do would be fair and sufficient to support their families.
There would be no people living on the streets for lack of housing, no one begging on corners, no need for food kitchens to feed the poor. Instead, one would see group homes or apartments where people who fall on hard times could go temporarily until their situation improves. These temporary housing projects would be well maintained for safety and aesthetic beauty, flowers, trees and art work so that people living there could be safe and maintain their self dignity, and not feel the shame of having to live on hand-outs. Our social service programs and rehabilitation centers would be funded adequately to assist them in their readjustment.
Our schools would also reflect the ethnicity of the families who live in their communities, no busing children for the sake of integration, no private schools where only those affluent families can afford to send their children in order to protect them from interacting with children from not so affluent families, as if a lack of money or success, as they see it, could rub off on their precious off-springs, thereby determining what their lives will turn out to be. All students would graduate from high school. If a learning problem arises, there would be tutoring services to help them learn the necessary curriculum to be able to succeed. After graduation, students would have the choice of going to a university or a skill driven college where they would be able to earn a license or certificate to work in a particular trade.
In my imagined world one would see every citizen enjoy at the very least one or maybe two months a year of paid vacation where they can choose to travel, work on their houses, take classes, visit family or just relax away from their jobs. Societal values would realize the importance of rest, of developing interests or hobbies outside of work and having time to appreciate the beauty around them. This time would be a time for families to get to know, enjoy and appreciate one another. One would see people enjoying their leisure time, taking photos, smiling at one another, taking walks in nature, and immersed in the beauty around them.