Who is the most qualified?

I had a dream


Of a different world.


In this different world, the sky was the color of sunset all day long and at sunset turned a shade of blue that lit up everyone from within. In that blue hour, everyone was struck with grievous sorrow for the offenses they had committed on each other during the long day, in their actions and their thoughts. They stopped where they were, on sidewalks and by the side of interstates, took out their cellphones and called up the ones they’d wronged.

“My darling!” They sobbed, the tears streaking their face like rain. “My love, can you forgive me for forgetting? My love, can you forgive me for putting selfish want over your needs? I forgot we were all connected. I forgot how short this life is, how precious. Forgive me. I will try and do better! And I will fall short again, but forgive me.”

In this world, men return home from work to their wives and children and drop to their knees to thank them for sharing their lives with them. “Don’t be sad, daddy, this is a picture of a pony,” the daughters say to their kneeling fathers.

“I’m not sad,” the fathers say, “I just forgot, here and there, and even just before I walked in this door, how lucky I was – how lucky I am. Oh beautiful fate! I am living the life of kings.”

In this world, they choose their leaders by their decency. The candidates gather on a stage decorated with wildflowers and sing the praises of their opponents. “This is a man,” the candidates say, “whom I would follow anywhere.” “This is a man who would give you the shirt off his back.” “This is a man -- I’m not ashamed to say -- he inspires me.” “This is a good man, my friends. I would do anything for him.”

They put their arms around each other’s shoulders and ask the audience for questions. The audience looks around and finally a man in the fourth row shyly stands.

He nervously clears his throat.

“Candidates,” he says, “I’m afraid. What of our enemies? What of the future? What of death?”

A murmur of surprise passes through the hall.

“I’ll take this one” says the candidate on the left.

"Please," says the other one.

“My good sir,” he says, “Thank you for your question. You see, fear is born of ignorance. We only fear what we do not know. Once we know something, it becomes a part of us. Once something is a part of us, we can fear it no more than we can fear our own elbow. Now, let us sit down together and share our knowledge so the world will become a less scary place. For you, for me, for the generations that will follow us, that will walk in our footsteps and learn from our example. Let us teach them how to live.”

“Ok,” says the nervous man.

“Yes, we will teach them how to live,” says the other candidate. “They will say, ‘These men, these women, this brave generation, they faced the challenges of their time with open hearts. They reached out to each other. They realized their common humanity is greater and more important than any distinctions. They realized fear veiled the love surrounding them. And so they put their fears aside and they made their lives their prayer.’”

“Beautiful,” says the first candidate.

“Thank you,” says the second. “But you were even more beautiful.”