Reflections On Diversity

TUES., JUNE 27, 2000, 12:55 PM
MORRIS LIB’Y, 4TH FLOOR

You are high above the green campus, below, after a pleasant, but sweaty, walk about. You await the printing of this current Ruminations, but you’re enjoying a day of reading and some contemplating. Now you invite Me, Holy Spirit, to join you. Gladly!

One of your selections for re-reading was that once-familiar story of abortion on the island of Yap. (You should find some current reference and see what is written about that culture, half a century later.) The story emphasized the rather simple, non-technological, “non-diverse” culture of that island, “Back when you were young”. These, obviously, were human creations of Mine, but they showed little recognition of this. They, both young men and women, wanted the pleasures of sex, but not the responsibilities that had to be assumed if a child was born. So, a primitive form of abortion was “devised” and “taught” by the older women. And the culture was “dying out”.

This caused you to consider, along with the chapter from Megatrends, to what extent I do love diversity, rather than the rather proscribed ways of living and perceiving that characterized “the past”. You grew up in a time when there were far fewer “choices” about most things than is the case today. You certainly didn’t feel “deprived”, because of the lack of choices… and it does seem “excessive” to now be entering your senior years with choices galore. You still can… and do… resist participating in too much of this diverse culture… and, as you suspect, this is not of My direct “doing”.

Oh, there are opportunities for some that wouldn’t be available in a simpler culture. This is fine for those who adapt well, but not so fine for those (and there are many) whose capacities for adaptation are limited. Just remember that I see the truly “big picture”, and this culture benefits many… and consequently harms others. It just can’t be made “perfect” for everyone, because of My value on diversity in My human creations.

As I’ve told you… and as you know from your own life experiences… you were quite a good adapter in your youth and young adulthood. You had many successes (perhaps even more than you deserved), because you adapted well to situations and conditions, so you were an achiever… and a happy one. If you had your life to live over there is virtually nothing you would change (except just for “variety” and “diversity”).

Yet you are pleased (and you should be) that while you still have some adaptive capability you can pass up some new opportunities and can just enjoy being “as you have been” rather than seeking to “stay modern”. There are fewer and fewer instances, now, when you should try to be “younger than you are”. Enjoy the lifestyle you have. It is best for you, with few needed improvements.

You note that there is some expressed concern about less enrollment in this University, which means diminished funding. In a culture that sees growth as a positive attribute (except, of course, in considering cancer!) it becomes disturbing when growth gives way to loss.

At your age, and in your Emeritus position, this seems more positive than negative, more promising than distressful. You once were quite a good competitor, but such motivations are now mostly gone. Yet you accept that your culture probably still needs some young competitors, while you assume your place in that portion of diversity that has, as its banner, “been there, done that!”