The Age of Recognition

         The thing about an age is that you are never sure when it begins. There is no one defining moment that says, "Today, I am going to start this age." There isn't a point where you can say that the age of men began. There isn't a point where you can say the Dark Ages began. So we didn't realize when the Age of Recognition began. There wasn't one point where we say it started. It just happened.

         One day, we realized we were destroying our planet. One day, we realized we were slaughtering too many animals. One day, we realized that war was fruitless. One day, we realized that the quiet children were the ones we needed to listen to. One day, we realized that the police were not always good or bad. One day, we realized that ordinary people could change everything.

         But, we didn't just realize things. We didn't just watch as oil filled the Gulf or as teenagers walked into schools and opened fire. We didn't just watch as friends, family, and strangers were abused, kidnapped, or robbed. We didn't just watch as tornadoes ripped through towns or tsunamis flooded cities. We acted.

         We united under common causes and yelled with one voice "ENOUGH." We began to report the violence we were seeing and intervened. We began planting trees instead of cutting them down. We began to listen to victims instead of blaming them. We began to provide food and shelter to those who couldn't help themselves. We marched and protested against the drugs and junk food and alcohol that had poisoned out kinsmen. We began to take a stand against those who bullied others.

         This is the Age of Recognition. This is the Age when we decided to take control of our world instead of harming it. But, our war isn't over just yet. We have a little further to run. But, we will reach the finish line TOGETHER.