Cumulative
Power
“When a
group of people is held together by common goals and a spirit of
charity and mutual affection, its cumulative power is greatly
enhanced.”
Jack M.
Balkin (The Laws of Change; I Ching and the Philosophy of Life;
p.209)
One of the commercials
that began airing at the Super Bowl is for Mass Mutual and features
the song, “I'll Stand by You.” Perhaps you've seen it. It shows a
young boy who has been bullied being taken to school by a motorcycle
gang, and then being joined at an empty lunch table by a group of
supportive teenagers. I cry every time it plays—partly because I'm
a sap, and partly because I believe at our very heart, that's who we
are. I think people who are good and decent and caring live right
along-side folks who are so wounded that they seek someone to
torment. I guess passing along the pain gives them a moment's relief.
Two of my girl-cousins
belong to an organization for women called PEO. Their group is not
large, but they do all sorts of things that support women both in
school, through scholarships, and in their community through action
and fund-raising. And they support one another through good times and
bad. It's surprising what a few people can do when they put their
collective might together and work for a mutual cause.
My consultation of
Balkin's translation of the I Ching this morning, says that a single
strong personality can hold people together, and that strength comes
from humility, flexibility, and the ability to compromise. It says,
“These are the virtues necessary for a successful fellowship.”
These are also virtues that are desperately needed in almost every
corner of our world right now. Will humankind make the leap toward
standing by each other, supporting each other, listening to each
other and genuinely caring about each other? If we make it, there
will be no limit to what we can accomplish. If we don't, well...truth
is, we have to make this leap if we want to continue. Out of faith,
hope and love comes humility, flexibility and compromise. We can do
this if we pull together.
In the Spirit,
Jane
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