“W” is for “World”

This blog is part of a very special series created and written by Phyllis Knox, “Alphabetic Musings”, whereby she chooses a word starting with a particular letter from the alphabet and injects it with her storytelling magic.

According to Wikipedia, “The world is the totality of entities, the whole of reality, or everything that is.” There are certainly many ways to see the world. For example, in scientific cosmology the world or universe is commonly defined as the totality of all space and time, all that is, has been, and will be. One might see the world through Theories of modality, Phenomenology, Philosophy of mind, Theology, Worldview, Cosmogony, or Eschatology or through other lenses. We may see our world through world religion, world language, world government, world war, world population, world economy, or world championship.

World is an English Word derived from the Old English weorold. Its etymology is rooted in Common German and means “Age of man”.

I see the world as the place where I was born, have lived, and where I will one day leave. The world is all I have ever known, and I love everything about it! Well, almost everything. I see the world as a place of beauty where Nature provides us with everything we need for our very survival. I am a happy citizen of the world, and I am thankful for its abundance.

We live in a world of complex beliefs and needs. In a Wikipedia reading titled Basic Needs, one can study “the absolute poverty in developing countries globally. It works to define the absolute minimum resources necessary for long-term physical well-being, usually in terms of consumption goods.” Our world once thought that those basic needs were food, water, shelter, and clothing. Today however, many countries of the world have added transportation as well as sanitation, education, and healthcare to the list.

Professor Chris Sarlo of the Fraser Institute uses Statistics Canada’s socio-economic database, which includes the following: clothing, health care, personal care, essential furnishings, transportation and communication, laundry, home insurance, and free education. Our poverty rate ‘has declined from 12% of Canadian households to about 5% since the 1970’s. In contrast, 13.1% of the US population are reported to fall below the poverty line. Canadians enjoy a system which includes all, whether rich or poor, young or old. We do not want anyone for whatever reason to suffer needlessly. Our education, welfare, medical, and taxation systems are set up to cover most of our basic needs. What a country, EH!

Our neighbours to the south experience a different world. It is one that favours hard work, but the what ifs are not baked into the cake. I am happy to live in a democratic society that gives everyone a fighting chance.

I believe that Canada’s greatest asset is its fairness. It stands on the world stage as a proud participant and a leader in providing a better, healthy world for its people. I may be a little bias but, the American system seems so foreign despite them being so close geographically. It values economic self-sufficiency and self-reliance. This is a point of pride.

As strange as this may sound, we do not all agree on the number of continents in this world. It is generally understood that there are seven continents: Africa, Asia, Australia/Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America. Nationsonline.org on the other hand counts the number of continents this way: Africa/The Americas/Asia/Australia & Oceania/Europe. No matter how we divide up our world, we can say that the world has in many ways shrunk. In 2023, we can travel the world over, physically and virtually. Our knowledge of the world has no bounds. Sadly, we do have borders that divide us and sometimes confine us. We see the free world as open borders and Communist countries as a Soviet bloc. Two very different philosophies and lifestyles; two different worlds for sure!

I may see the world through my own rose-tinted glasses. I am an optimist at heart. I have, however,  come to understand that I am a little less realistic than most people. Today, I have come to see and better understand the less positive complexities of this world.

There are two major wars raging at this very moment and it saddens me to the depths of my being. I could reason that these horrors are not in my back yard, but they do prey upon my mind regardless. I have always seen the good, the better and the best our world has to offer, but in the twilight years of my life, fully fledged reality has hit me hard. It hurts too much, so I must move on to the wonders of this world of ours to counteract this feeling.

Magnificent animals share our world. I found a fun list online titled 10 Favorite & Most Popular Animals in the World. First, there are our closest animal friends: dogs, cats, chickens (what?), and horses. Then there are fish, bears, birds, sharks (EH?), lions (whatever!) and monkeys. How lucky are we to share this world with these remarkable creatures and more! Some people may say that they actually prefer the company of their animal companions over their human ones. That’s not my sentiment, but I can understand it. 

We are surrounded by magnificent beauty. Our gardens are covered with every colour of the rainbow, from tiny plants to bushes to trees. Our parks are manicured and surrounded by less-manicured (but equally gorgeous) landscapes. Our never-ending farmlands are bordered by wildflowers and our mountains are blanketed in a natural beauty all their own. How lucky we are! Our Canadian piece of the world is a sanctuary of flora and fauna of unequalled beauty.

71 percent of the Earth’s surface is water and the oceans hold about 96.5 percent of all Earth’s water, all of it salty. The remaining 3.5 percent, freshwater, makes up our rivers, lakes, icecaps, and glaciers. A tiny percentage of water is embedded in terrestrial life: plants, bacteria, fungi, insects, animals, humans, etc. And yet, many parts of the world struggle to acquire life-giving water. And then there is climate change.

Last, but not least, there are the wonderful peoples who inhabit this world. I have been fortunate to travel through many parts of North America. Canada, from Nova Scotia to Alberta. The United States from Vermont to Florida and from Alabama to Texas. France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy (my mother’s birthplace). I experienced awe as I travelled by car and train to Paris, Berlin, Geneva and Venice. I will never forget the Alps and the seacoasts, and the farmlands, but mostly the people who touched my heart. Different faces, different languages and different lifestyles! Each new city thrilled me and made me aware of the world in all its glory. Seeing and joining in with people as they were laughing, singing, dancing, eating, and drinking in restaurants and bars. Each adventure has made me more and more aware of how we are so different, yet so alike. We all crave peace, beauty, the necessities of life, and human connection.

Other valleys may claim to be prettier or grander than our beloved St. Maurice Valley, but I doubt it. Our little piece of this world is uniquely beautiful, comfortable, and filled with lovely people. It is a world of its own and I am thankful for it.

-Phyllis Knox