♬ It Takes Two – Me and You ♬
by Kathleen Mavity, Board President
“Rugged individualism.” “Self-made man.” “Pulled himself up by his own bootstraps.” American culture puts an unhealthy value on some really stupid concepts.
I say “stupid” because, even though we act as if our accomplishments happen totally due to our own efforts, they really don’t. Even if you were marooned, all by yourself, on a deserted island and lived to tell the tale, you were dependent on the natural resources you used to survive – not to mention the passing ship that picked you up.
Acknowledging our interdependence requires us to pay attention. For example, how much magically gets done at Peoples that we take for granted?
communal water gets recycled every week for the stones and candles ritual...
there are clean dishes, dishcloths, and towels in the Andre Room kitchen...
Orders of Service are printed, folded, and available every Sunday...
It’s easy to ignore the extent to which we’re dependent on other people, resources, and systems. Failure to acknowledge and honor this interdependence typically leads to ignoring other values, like generosity, equity, and justice.
Case in point: The 1% of America’s wealthiest people ultimately acquired their wealth through the labor of others. However, increasing financial disparity shows these people typically don’t care about those who created wealth for them.
So how can we pay more attention to and acknowledge our interdependence? Here are some ideas.
Develop the (new?) habit of not only noticing the goodies available during coffee hour, but also wondering who bought, prepared, and served them.
Thank your postal carrier or delivery driver.
Think about how many people contributed to your ultimate discovery of that fabulous garment in a consignment shop.
Dive deeper into the story of how the nation’s wealth was ultimately due to the labor of enslaved Africans. (Black AF History is a great book on this topic.)
Notice how many people are working at your local co-op or grocery store to ensure you have a range products to choose from.
What other baby steps can you think of that will help you notice, honor, and appreciate our interdependence?