In the words of David Barton, he reminds us of
what the celebration of Independence Day – July 4th – is all about.
“On July 2, 1776, Congress voted to approve a complete separation from
Great Britain. Two days afterwards – July 4th – the early draft of the
Declaration of Independence was signed, albeit by only two individuals at that
time: John Hancock, President of Congress, and Charles Thompson, Secretary of
Congress. Four days later, on July 8, members of Congress took that document
and read it aloud from the steps of Independence Hall, proclaiming it to the
city of Philadelphia, after which the Liberty Bell was rung. The inscription
around the top of that bell, Leviticus 25:10, was most appropriate for the
occasion: ‘Proclaim liberty throughout the land and to all the inhabitants
thereof.’”
However, I’d like to also declare an Interdependence Day. Even though
we celebrate our separation from the Crown of England, we must come to the
awareness that we really do not live as “separate peoples” of this
planet. It is to be shared by all – for we are interdependent with all of
life on this earth and beyond!
I recently returned from directing a retreat and I often would walk the grounds
of the center and quietly observe the trees reflected in the
surrounding lake, watch the Sandhill Cranes fly over the near-by pier, and
study the puffy, luminous clouds that looked as if they fell into the lake as
they were reflected there along with the trees. I will post pictures to give a
visual of what I experienced.
As I pondered my surroundings, I was amazed how this environment truly was an
ecosystem happening right in front of me: fish, plants, trees, flowers, bees,
birds, raccoons, deer, turtles, and more all in the dance of the ecosystem
waltz! Everything working, living, sharing, moving, breathing together in one
movement of life in this small circle of the earth. Nothing separated –
nothing independent – everything interdependent.
I thought, too, of my life as a woman religious in my community. Some would
consider me pretty independent – guess I learned that as I was growing up – and
yet as a committed member, I am interdependent with all those in my
community. We pray with and for one another; we minister with and for one
another, we celebrate with and for one another, - however, we share who we are
and what we have with all in our ministries and way of life. As a wise
old mentor once told me, “As celibate women, we belong to everyone and
no-one.”
So on this weekend of Independence Day and the celebration of separation, I
pray for all who walk this earth as we are interdependent in our way of life on
this planet and that we grow in our actions, attitudes, and way of being that
we acknowledge we are here as a people sharing the gift of life in the beauty
of God’s creation on this small planet in the universe. Let us dance
together the interdependent waltz!
Ponderings:
One day a little boy asked his parents, ‘How do wars break out? How are they
declared?’ So the father, who was very learned in economic matters, started
talking about wheat, oil, an all the things that divide the world. But the
mother thought the little boy was far too small to understand such things, and
she said, ‘Let me explain it.’ The mother began to explain, and the father grew
angry, and a great argument developed. The little boy was very frightened
indeed, and held up his hands and cried, ‘Stop, stop! Now I know how wars
begin.’ (Irene Laure)
The late Albert Einstein, during his declining years, granted a press
conference to a number of newspaper reporters. After they had plied him with questions on many subjects, one reporter asked:
‘Mr. Einstein, would you care to make a prediction as to the kind of weapons
that will be used in the third world war?’ Modestly he shook his head and said:
‘No, I would not venture a prediction.’ After the briefest hesitation he added,
‘But I’ll tell you what will be the chief weapon in the fourth world war.’ The
reporters were all ears and every pencil was poised in anticipation of the old
man’s prediction. What would be the chief weapon in the fourth world war?
With an air of finality, the old man gave a one-word reply – 'Clubs!' It took a
moment or two for the aged scientist’s reply to register, but as it did, a grim
silence settled over the assembled group. (Anonymous)
“We can either emphasize those aspects of our traditions, religious or
secular, that speak of hatred, exclusion, and suspicion or work with those that
stress the interdependence and equality of all human beings. The choice is
yours. (22)”
― Karen Armstrong, Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life
“We are all in the same boat, in a stormy sea, and we owe each other a terrible
loyalty.”
― G.K. Chesterton
“None of us can ever save himself; we are the instruments of one another’s
salvation, and only by the hope that we give to others do we lift ourselves out
of the darkness into light.”
― Dean Koontz
“Our culture values independence and isolation far too much, it seems to
me--we have a hard time making ourselves part of things, of making ourselves
responsible to others, and trusting others to be there for us. Sure, there's
pain involved if we get hurt, but there's far more pain in isolation. I love
community because God gave us other people to live with, not to pull away from,
and I learn so much from others that I can't imagine my life without the learning
I've gained from getting to know other people.”
-Tom Walsh
