Are you familiar with the COP 25 conference?  Held in Egypt and concluded about a week ago, the COP 25 represented a nearly unprecedented gathering of representatives of the nations of the world to discuss and, it was hoped, develop concrete solutions to issues of climate change.  As the conference drew to a close, the major point of contention appeared to be establishing the responsibility of the developed--and the most polluting--nations toward the nations whose existence the developed world's actions were threatening.

    After much debate, the decision was made that a fund would be established to aid these developing nations in dealing with the effects of climate change.  But of course this agreement was not necessarily legally binding upon the developing nations that signed it.  Should it be?  Though that's another debate, the principle that should prevail, from my viewpoint, is that those who have been given much, usually at the expense of those who have been given little, should be ready to give up what they have to aid those who have less.  That is, the wealthy should be ready to impoverish themselves, relatively speaking, to improve the lot of others.

    After all, no one has attained his or her affluence on their own, and no one has become wealthy independent of others or the planet.  No one can claim that he or she is fully "self-made."  That's delusional.

    There will always be enough to go around.  We just need to agree that there is.

    And trust in ourselves and God.