Dear Editor,
It is my sincere prayer that you and the entire staff of the Stabroek News would have a most happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year.
I am also praying most earnestly that our beloved country would be united and free from the destructive forces and the outcome of selfishness, and thrive.
Please permit me to share words from an essay authored by Napoleon Hill on the captioned subject:
“When the dawn of intelligence shall have spread its wings over the eastern horizon of progress, and ignorance and superstition shall have left their last footprints on the sands of time, it will be recorded in the book of man’s crime and mistakes that his most grievous sin was that of intolerance!
“The bitterest intolerance grows out of racial and religious differences of opinion, as the result of early childhood training. How long, O Master of Human Destinies, until we poor mortals will understand the folly of trying to destroy one another because of dogmas and creeds and other superficial matters over which we do not agree?
“Our allotted time on this earth is but a fleeting moment, at most!
“Like a candle, we are lighted, shine for a moment and flicker out! Why can we not live during this short earthly sojourn that when the Great Caravan called Death draws up and announces this visit about finished we will be ready to fold our tents, and, like the Arabs of the Desert, silently follow the Caravan out into the Darkness of the unknown without fear and trembling?
“I am hoping that I will find no Jews or Gentiles, Catholics or Protestants, Germans or Englishmen, Frenchmen or Russians, Blacks or Whites, Reds or Yellows, when I shall have crossed the bar to the other side.
“I am hoping I will find there only human souls, brothers and sisters all, unmarked by race, creed or colour, for I shall want to be done with intolerance so I may lie down and rest an eon or two, undisturbed by the strife, ignorance, superstition and petty misunderstandings which mark with chaos and grief of this earthly existence.”
I agree with the author’s reasoning, which I think is applicable to our local challenges, in that cooperation and tolerance are the very foundation of enduring success.
I pray that our leaders would find the courage and inspiration to lay aside intolerance, and cooperate in the interest of all the people to build a more united and prosperous nation.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Bowman
