Year Two, Skill #6: Participate In Something Bigger

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.  Muhammad Ali

When was the last time you experienced something that reminded you of the power that is unleashed when you  join with others? Or perhaps you participated in something that left you with the feeling that you were small but the world was large. Has there been a moment when you realized that by yourself not much could be accomplished, but a whole community could produce miracles?

I love the feeling of being joined with others in “something bigger”. Each year when my church packages 50,000 meals in three short hours for Stop Hunger Now, I leave with this realization. Together we are better than we can ever be alone. When I worked backstage at the ballet and another run of a ballet was over, or when I sang in a chorus, I was left with that thought. Look what we accomplished together. Truly amazing. When I walk with NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) and raise money and awareness for a cause that is important to me, I have that feeling. When I write letters to my legislators asking for their consideration on an issue I get the feeling. This is important stuff. I want to be a part of it. The simple act of worshipping in community, of investing and engaging with my church family, reminds me that I am a part of something bigger. It helps me remember that I have a purpose on this planet and that my gifts and skills matter. What helps you remember that?

Together we are better than we can ever be alone.

On the evening of Monday, June 13^th, Reformation Lutheran Church in Columbia, SC held a prayer vigil in the aftermath of the Orlando shooting. A full sanctuary of people from all walks of life sang and prayed together, for hope, for lamenting, for healing. We asked for healing for all those affected by the shooting but we also asked for healing for ourselves and our own community. What can we do together that will make an impact in the world? How do we hold on to hope in the wake of such evil? The granddaughter of one of the Mother Emmanuel victims spoke with eloquence and passion about joining together to make a difference. She spoke from experience. She was walking the walk.

We are meant to live in community. We are a but a piece of a big jigsaw puzzle, designed to fit perfectly into a larger picture. Search the globe and you will find that people live in community and serve each other. When we look for the meaning of life or search for our purpose in life, we need to look no further than how do we live with, fit in to, serve our communities. If you live in or near Columbia, South Carolina, perhaps you were an active part of the flood relief efforts last October. Did you rescue people from their homes? Deliver water? House a friend? Donate clothing? Empty a home of ruined things? How did you feel when you participated in something bigger than you are alone? If you felt good, it should not be an ego thing. It is just the feeling that this is how the world is suppose to work. People helping people.

More and more I experience the present culture as increasingly isolating.  We spend hours looking at a variety of screens, we have jobs requiring long hours and sometimes ones that take us away from home. We pass much time in cars, subways, trains, and planes. We walk the streets with ear buds in to keep the world out. If we don’t stop and pull ourselves out of the rat race of life, we may be doomed to feeling isolated and alone.  Having a meal with friends may dull the ache for a while, but it is not the same thing as knowing you are a part of something bigger. Do you belong to a small group with a common interest like organic gardening or making art as a way of healing from chronic illness? That can feel like being a part of something bigger.  Do you create community with friends or family by helping to host special occasions?  Are you a part of a larger organization like a faith community, professional organization or civic club that does together what one could never do alone? Have you ever run, walked, or cycled for a charity event? We need many different ways of feeling connected.

There is a hunger for community.  We want to belong to something that is bigger than we are.  The virtual communities we have created and participate in can be helpful.  My experience, though, is that people still want and need face to face community.  It’s like the Velveteen Rabbit said to the little boy. “Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” This does not come without risk. When you join with others, you will face your differences, your likes and dislikes, your dreams and wishes. You will, if you hang in there long enough, have to do what Scott Peck calls Emptying, a stage of community life that involves looking within at the truth of who you are. Emptying involves being willing to truly hear another person, to listen without judgment, to consider your part in problems, and to scrutinize your own expectations and issues. Many times communities cannot progress because the people in them cannot do this work.

There is a hunger for community.  We want to belong to something that is bigger than we are.

Last week Rhea wrote about finding your purpose. Today I am talking about being a part of “something bigger”. It is no mistake that these two things are connected. It is hard to have a purpose that does not include a sense of being connected to the larger whole. I hope you, Dear Reader, know the joy of participating in something bigger than you can ever be all by yourself. It will bring you joy, contentment, and a deep peace.

So find a connection to something bigger than you are, and help make your messy life, and this messy world, more marvelous.

Amy