because we are." South Africans ground themselves in this philosophy
which has led to the healing of their country following the atrocities
of apartheid. Our humanity is linked by an extraordinary bond of
divine love. Our humanity is much deeper than our experiences, race,
religion, or gender. We are one.
Skin, blood, fat, bone cells, etc. collectively make up our individual
bodies. Similarly we as individuals are part of one larger body -
humankind. When an organ fails the body weakens or dies. When one of
us suffers we all are diminished. When we are strong, recognizing our
interdependence, we flourish. This is a simple observation in
nature, which we are part of not separate from.
Yesterday, I was commissioned for a leadership role in my church. I
have held mid executive management positions with large financial
institutions. I always step into these roles feeling confident of my
ability. Yet the role I stepped into yesterday, left me feeling
ordinary. Wonderfully ordinary. I humbly agreed to this calling.
Before, I agreed I questioned how would I one day lead this
organization whose only mission is to transform lives. Many who
walked before me had much more religions moxie than I. I can't even
find the words to pray without stumbling and sounding like a religious
neophyte. Or worse, a monotone inauthentic wannabe patriarch...aagh
(come on you know the type, where is the bravado of the spirit?!)
Okay, that is a whole different conversation. One day and every day
my words will match the omnipresent spirit that moves me (happens
occasionally, especially if I don't think I am praying).
Back to my original point. There I stood, plain ordinary me, holding
hands with my equally ordinary friends. Yet in a pause we felt the
Presence and recognition that those we were holding hands with were
not ordinary individuals (just like those red blood cells are not much
good on their own), we were one body. Then exactly the opposite
feeling of what I was expecting happened.
As we stood in the center, we were now center stage - all powerful,
with our energy radiating out to the masses that would follow our
steps. Nope, wrong (another knock to the good old ego) The outgoing
leaders, those returning to the flock, those we would now lead,
encircled and prayed for us. Their energy shot directly to the core
of this circle, the zing went through our nerves, feeding our souls,
and calming our fears. We were all one.
As a religious neophyte, I, who surprisingly have been called to one
day be a lay leader of this flock, felt the blessing of being ordinary
while being blanketed by the extraordinary. Ubuntu.
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