We’re all in this together

“Although the sense of equality is made the basis of many social and political ideals, the real conditions of rich, cooperative life are fulfilled only when the bare ideal of equality is replaced by the realization of the unity of all life.” – Meher Baba, The Discourses

The above quotation has appeared at the beginning of Cape Gazette editorials in the past. The message, though, is timeless and bears repeating frequently. 

Outspoken activist Malcolm X, who made racial inequality the cornerstone of his message through most of his adult life, ultimately disavowed inequality as his central issue after his own realization of the unity of all life. His realization and pronouncement put him at odds with his Islamist brethren and probably cost him his life, at the hands of assassins.

He is among a long list of martyrs who have given their lives attempting to bridge the perceived gaps between all of us. It’s a noble cause and one that should remain high among our priorities, not only in this holiday season but throughout the year.

As we close out 2021 and head into 2022, all of us – not just some of us – are facing the challenges of the seemingly relentless coronavirus, no matter our color or ethnicity.  

All of us are facing a culture of divisiveness and incivility that makes it difficult to remember that life does unify all of us. If we all try to realize and remember that we are all one, then listening to and understanding each other’s concerns will come easier, along with finding workable solutions.

The real and often negative impacts of climate change and global warming remind us further that we are all in this together.

Locally, the increasingly thorny impacts of traffic congestion, which likewise affect all of us, will require that we work cooperatively and creatively to address the associated problems effectively.

With the combined efforts and intelligence of all us working as one, there are no problems that we resilient humans can’t solve.