You and I have an amazing evolutionary history that goes back billions of years. It is sometimes thought-provoking to remember that every element in our bodies was formed from the very first debris, the stardust that made up our solar system. We are indeed all from Star Wars, but this is only the beginning of this amazing story.
When we think of our ancestors, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, great-grandparents, etc., we may wonder how our lives today are influenced by all these people from long ago, but this is only one infinite part of the story of your creation.
While primitive man had great respect for his ancestors and had traditions of respect and gratitude towards them, modern man has lost this close connection and respect for ancestors to some extent. This may be partly why humanity struggles to live in harmony with one another.
We have become more interested in the differences that separate us, whether it is the color of our skin, our nationality or our religion. At this time, with the conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine, it is clear to everyone how devastating this is for all of us.
However, more damage is caused by another loss of ancient culture that survives in most primitive societies.
These so-called “primitive people” have maintained great respect, almost reverence, for their environment. They are constantly grateful for every tree they cut down for use or every herb they consume, and often plant new trees to ensure the survival of their habitat.
Modern man has almost lost this “primitive” understanding and considers the entire environment, whether living or non-living, such as minerals or land, as his right to exploit or destroy.
There is a great book about twenty years ago that describes the existential dangers of this behavior. This is important reading for all of us “Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight” by Tom Hartman. Maybe if we learn to see the big picture, our future will be better for humanity and the earth?
What I want us all to remember is that our ancestors are not just the few thousand relatives recorded in our family trees, but must include billions of our other ancestors from Homo erectus to Homo sapiens, as well as trillions of our other pre-human, primate ancestors, and why stop there? Your ancestors and mine include all the animals, plants, and the first simple organisms that started life on Earth!
Yes! Surely we would behave differently if all the grass we walk on, the insects we see, the birds we hear, and all living things are part of our family tree?
Yes, the beautiful tree you admire or the flower you just picked could both be your ancestors!
Now that’s a life and world changing thought!
Michael Lingard BSc (Econ) DO
- About the Author
- Latest news
Michael Lingard, a regular contributor to Wellbeing magazine for the past 18 years. A passionate promoter of real healthcare and wants to see a paradigm shift in modern medicine; from a system based on disease and pathology to a system based on health and ethology.
