The English teacher John Keating, starred by Robin Williams in the Dead Poet Society, said: "We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?" Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?" (IMDb).
During a recent hike in the alps, observing the birds, ants and butterflies, I became intensely aware that humans are the only species on this planet that nature can clearly do without; the only species that does not fit into the delicate net of ecosystems.
What makes us people so special? Wouldn´t it be better if people would vanish from this earth? Why do we work so hard to try to keep us on this planet?
To me it is exactly what John Keating says - to contribute to the magic of human life itself, the art, music, laughter, happiness, wonder, beauty. It is worth putting all our energies into sustaining these human qualities.
Robin Williams will not be able to contribute more to his own verse. But many others will add theirs, hopefully in time to make sure that the beauty and happiness we can still enjoy in spite of the many tragedies in this world will last to many generations to come.
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