How Many People Have Lived?

From today, going back to the time when the first human beings existed, how many people have already lived on Earth?

“According to the United Nations, world population reached 7 Billion on October 31, 2011…According to the most recent estimates, the human population of the world is expected to reach 8 billion people in the spring of 2024.” (http://www.worldometers.info). This is nine years from now.

How many people are born each day and how many pass away?  From prehistory/ancient history up to the present we call The Social Age.I wonder about each life, each mind, each heart that roamed around this home we call Earth. The richest, the greatest of minds, the most inspiring souls we have ever known.

I see how the fleeting glance of each moment pass by. And altogether creating the most meaningful and beautiful experience we call life.

Human life is very short compared to other creations or organisms.“Worldwide, the average life expectancy at birth was 71.0 years (68.5 years for males and 73.5 years for females) over the period 2010–2013 according to United Nations World Population Prospects 2012 Revision, or 70.7 years (68.2 years for males and 73.2 years for females) for 2009 according to The World Factbook.

Wishing each person living will be awakened to this fact and hopefully drives him to progress, to be better, but also to be kinder, be more human, and to seize each waking moment to be happy and loving to the people around him. Maybe then who needs violence? Who needs war?

 

The Family Tree Project

The big portrait on the wall fascinated me. Although I was too young to understand, I was aware that it was a huge tree with branches. I remember there were so many names written on the branches.

When I was little, we used to come to my grandfather’s house. He was the fourth of the five brothers (for which my direct grandfather was the eldest).  When you enter their property, one would always notice a family tree painted on the walls.  I just recall how he gave importance on family ties. He used to host  family reunions in his place. It was a big gathering where a mass was being held for the family, and celebration come after (food & entertainment). I remembered that my siblings and I used to play a lot with our cousins. When grandfather died, I do not remember having reunions at all.

When I came of age, I find myself drawn to family ties. I see the value and significance of blood relations. I believe I was in high school when I started becoming interested in my family tree. I even documented it, wrote about it in my journal. I interviewed a great grandfather and asked all the names I needed to know to build the family tree. I know I have to find that journal that contains information about my ancestors. It was kept back home in the Philippines (it was one of the many). I hope they were not destroyed by the typhoon. I know I have too many other important things I need  to do in my life. Building a family tree is definitely not a necessity or maybe a waste of my time. But I think documenting and sharing it is what my heart wants. For the ones who are to be born yet. My son is naturally interested in it. He asks a lot of questions about family members. He seems to be more like me. I told him it will be my project and I will share it with him.

It maybe good to look where we came from, to acknowledge the past, the family, our roots. To make that spirit alive, spirit of being a family. Pray for healing and pray for hope. We are but many branches coming from the same trunk, originating from the same root. In a global perspective, we are all interconnected, intertwined.

It will be nice if we all continue to value our origins, our families. Like now, I try to reach out for my other cousins, nieces, nephews (the new generation). But it seems different. We are connected through social networking sites only and I see no effort from the younger ones to get to know their families. Don’t you think it would be nice to be connected not  just by social media like Facebook or Instagram? We aim for a connection that has depth, sincerity, and meaningful. Maybe it will be one of my goals for my own branches. I will make sure my branches will forever be united in love and in the spirit of being one. I better start building my family tree project!