We Are One

I was sitting in Mr. Petras’ High School History class when he pulled down one of the world maps that worked something like a window shade. I had a way of sitting in the back and not engaging completely in any lesson. I guess it was selective learning- weeding out what I decided wouldn’t serve me or perhaps what I didn’t understand. And as I gazed at that map, I noticed clearly perhaps for the first time the borders outlining every country of the world. We had made a jigsaw puzzle out of this one contiguous celestial body. I arose from my academic slumber long enough to raise my hand and ask, “Mr. Petras, why do we need these borders? Why can’t we just all get along?” I believe he chuckled, leaned back a bit and made some cordial remark about me being an idealist. So much for my political science career.

I’ve come to understand that within those borders lies a great deal of beauty-different languages, art, culture, customs- and yet how many wars, and conquests and expansionism. How many lives lost for stepping over the borders. How much military needed to hold back imperialism? Aren’t we indeed all one?

I surely am not a scientist but like everyone I like to explore information that they’ve spent hundreds of years compiling. Some believe in evolution- over millions of years we evolved into our current yet ever-changing homo sapiens. In the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), Adam and Eve are considered the first humans.

In human genetics, "Mitochondrial Eve" refers to the most recent common ancestor from whom all living humans are descended, meaning all mitochondrial DNA in every living person is directly inherited from her. All modern human populations trace their mitochondrial DNA back to her, who lived in Africa around 150,000 to 200,000 years ago. There isn't a specific "race" that carries this gene, as all humans share this common maternal lineage.

In reading about Mitochondrial Eve, I wondered if this wasn’t perhaps a wonderful combination theory of both science and religion. What it points out to me most clearly is that each and every one of us - currently upwards of 8 billion - on this amazing and expansive planet is related! We all share a common ancestor. So, no matter what race, color, creed, gender, ethnicity, nationality, political leanings, geographic location, skin color, eye color, hair color, height, weight, occupation, philosophy we indeed are all related- we all share 99.9 percent of our DNA-yes, every single one of us! We indeed are all one.

So why is there such division? Why have we divided this planet with so many imaginary lines and continue to battle over where they begin and end? Why do we continue to experience discrimination based on race, ethnicity and national origin? Why have some attempted to eradicate entire populations of people? Have we forgotten to look back 200,000 years and to the fact that we are indeed all related?

I would like to suggest that it’s time we bury the metaphorical hatchet and learn to get along – take out the figurative broom and help clean up the planet together. Learn to see beauty in our differences while acknowledging our oneness. We cannot go on by continually dividing our divisions. Fighting over who owns what- accumulating wealth that none of us can take with us. We are here to enjoy this beautiful gift of life and to help others do the same. It is then that there may be some hope of world peace.

And so, Mr. Petras, if you happen to be reading this, I have held onto those idealistic principles for nearly a lifetime. And I just want you to know that we all remember you-the life you’ve shared with us-and the gift of knowledge that you imparted to generations of Pierson High School students. Thank you!