Today and the path before it
*Written for my first attemp at public speaking competition. year 2007*
The word “today” is such a short word, which includes the whole world, the whole universe, the history of men and its circumstances in one leap of a moment.
“Today” is what we have treasured through the years of our existence, it is sometimes the reason of our pride and it is, and always will be, the eternal reminder of all the mistakes that we have made.
Many years ago, when great men made miraculous speeches and performed great deeds, the people were the ones who were filled with enthusiasm, hope and all the best feelings the human heart can offer. But it only was for a second, a second of a great step towards the light, and I hope a little glimpse of that second has reached us through all these years.
“Today” is changing, every second is a change and we don’t even notice. Unfortunately that change is not always made for the best. Every change has its bad sides and good sides. And the past seven years make no exception. And you are to judge whether they are to be accepted as the years towards survival or the years towards the doom.
True, during the past seven years the humankind has made revolutionary discoveries in science: the genetic code of a human completely mapped, China becoming the third country to send a man to space, and the breakthrough of technologies.
During these past seven years, however, the humankind has gone and is going through several wars: war in Iraq, war between Israel and Palestine, and the countless conflicts between different nations.
Since the beginning of the 21st century the mankind has experienced countless acts of terrorism: the collapse of the World Trade Center, bombings in Madrid and London, schoolchildren being kept hostage.
The death John Paul the 2nd, the assassination of Hrant Dink.
We have also experienced the revenge of nature: floods in Europe, hurricanes in Florida, tsunamis in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, earthquakes in Kashmir and so on…
I don’t know whether you’ll take all these facts as a warning or the usual exposure of time, but one’s for sure_ if we want to have something left of this earth, something left of us; our conscience has to speak now.
No, people aren’t meant to live forever, but there are generations that will come after us and they will probably feel ashamed for their ancestors. And they will be the ones who will have to pay the price, just like we are now paying for the deeds of all those who were before us.
Remember, it is not too late. Before you pull that trigger, before you wage war, before you cut that tree, stop and think. That one moment of thought will probably save millions of people. Trust me and all those who said that one person can make a difference. It is up to us to try. Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.
I’m not too naïve to think that this speech will change the world, but I hope it inspires at least one person. And I hope that that one person will use that inspiration to inspire others. I know that because that’s how I got inspired.
And as Horace Mann said “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity”.
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