Nothing is Permanent
The Fall of the Assad Regime Should Remind Us to Steward Well
The Assad regime fell over the weekend, leaving Syrians and the world to wonder what lies ahead. Will this moment herald the dawn of a freer Syria, or will it give rise to hardline doctrines that deepen the subjugation of its people—in a land that has witnessed empires rise and fall for millennia?
The ancient cities within Syria—like Damascus—have borne witness to countless rulers over thousands of years. If their walls could speak, they would remind us that no regime lasts forever. Certainly, Bashar Assad could not have foreseen his eventual exile from the country his family ruled with an iron grip. He clung to power until, one day, he couldn’t.
Many of us view our era as the culmination of history, but it is not. We exist in a world shaped by those who came before us, just as our descendants will inherit a world shaped by our actions today.
This realization demands reflection. Are we working to leave our communities, customs, and cultures in better condition than we inherited them? Or are we allowing them to deteriorate, through neglect or harmful choices?
Those are the kind of questions we should ask ourselves daily. Are we making decisions, stewarding our place in time, and working to set our children, grandchildren, and generations of descendants beyond to live as free or conquered peoples? Consciously or not, each of us contributes to one path or the other.
Which path will you choose?