The Color of Unity 

“If everyone helps to hold up the sky,

then one person does not become tired.” 

(Askhari Johnson Hodari, Lifelines: The Black Book of Proverbs)

"No - that's mine!" The words of one four year-old grabbing a toy from another four-year-old. Perhaps the protection of one's own property, space, or clan is built into our DNA. Casual observation would suggest that such inclinations are endemic to the human condition. Forever, humanity has been a collection of factions and coalitions bent on self-preservation. It just seems so easy to take sides on anything from the color of the carpet to political and social issues. 

Given that it may well be a part of our genetic wiring, perhaps it would be best to work with what we've got. What we got is that we are very accomplished at creating groups which we defend, sometimes to the death, and often very much to our communal detriment. The "us and them" mentality permeates the most basic levels of human relationships. Nonetheless, there is a great potential for unity within this seemingly destructive tendency.

 “Harmony exists no less in difference than in likeness,

if only the same key-note govern both parts.” 

(Margaret Fuller)

 Consider cells in the body - each cell has its own governance in the form of DNA and RNA. It is a separate entity from the surrounding cells. Even so, it joins with neighboring cells to become an eye, or skin, liver or bone. Rather than be in competition with surrounding tissues and organs each grouping of cells works harmoniously for the good of the body. Wonderfully unique, yet joined in common purpose.

 Likewise, I am a cell in the body of humanity, you are a cell, your neighbor is a cell. Those people whom you consider foreign to yourself are cells - each a part of the body of homo sapiens-sapiens. Problem is, humanity has an autoimmune disease and it keeps killing off parts of itself in some warped pseudo-protection mode.

 “We are each other's harvest;

we are each other's business;

we are each other's magnitude and bond.” 

(Gwendolyn Brooks)

 We need every cell for a whole body, even the ones that are a bit bent or malfunctioning. The bent ones teach us compassion, strength, forgiveness. These qualities bind all of the groupings of cells together to form the body; they are the ligaments and muscle of this organism. When we consider the power of the body working as a whole there is a strong incentive to consider building up the health of the parts so that the entire organism may thrive.

Humanity will quite likely struggle with the challenges of divisions and cliques for eons to come. Still, there is a strength in this if we allow ourselves to grow the small bits so that the greater community, the global community can be whole. It is well that a family protects itself so that a community can be healthy, and that a community protect itself so that the province or state can be health, and that a country protect itself so that the whole earth can be healthy. We simply need to live in such a way that the liver does not thrive at the expense of the heart, or the bones thrive at the cost of the skin.

 Unity in diversity, for the sake of something greater than the individual parts - Jesus' prayer for his believers, Love's yearning for all humanity.

 I leave the last word to the poet-mystic Rumi:

 “Like a sculptor, if necessary,

carve a friend out of stone.

Realize that your inner sight is blind

and try to see a treasure in everyone.” 

(Rumi)

The color of unity...

infinite expression, one source.

Rope

Is strong

Because

Many

Strands

Bind together

We are

Ropes

Of

Love

Love

Laugh

Pray

To Ponder Further:

- From the Bible: " I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought." (1 Corinthians 1.10)

- From Akan Proverbs in Ghana: "It is because one antelope will blow the dust from the other's eye that two antelopes walk together." (African Traditional Religions)

- From Confucianism:
"Abruptly he [King Hsiang] asked me,

"Through what can the Empire be settled?"
"Through unity," I said.
"Who can unite it?"
"One who is not fond of killing can unite it," I said.
(Confucianism. Mencius I.A.6)