Story of the World

I’ve sometimes wondered
If I were really in Paradise
That the world had already ended
That God had already fixed everything
That everything would be all right
I look at all the happiness
How much the world has improved
How it’s so much better than before
We’ve invented miracles
Manufactured providence
And it would seem that we, in a way
Have become Gods ourselves
That we’ve fixed the world ourselves.

Then, I take a second look at the world
I see people caring only for themselves
I see little children cursing and killing
I see us destroying our planet
I see the companies, cheating and lying
All for the sake of a few more dollars
I see the rich getting richer
And the poor getting poorer
I see hate.
And I think, no,
This can’t be Paradise
This is Hell,
And that God has damned us all to destroy ourselves
In an Inferno of our own creation
And I weep

But then, I take a third look
I see kindness
I see people helping others
I see the people bravely trying to save us all
From ourselves
And I say to myself,
This isn’t Heaven
Or Hell
This is Earth
This is our Earth,
And whether it becomes Paradise
Or Damnation
Is all up to us.