ONE

Oneness is a mystery, unity an enigma. The concept is elementary. The application near impossible. Even teams that win championships seldom achieve unity, though they brag as if they have when what they’ve actually done is manipulate rosters and pay obscene amounts of money to guys motivated to make even more money.

True oneness is a selfless serving that values others more than ones self. It’s already sounding religious isn’t it. But take the religious out and you still have a model that produces unfathomable results. I was visiting the Huntington Library and Gardens on a rainy Sunday afternoon two days ago when I went into a library collection that featured artifacts such as the Gutenberg Bible, early editions of classic literature and hand written memos from various authors. Then I made my way over to a copy of the Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass’ An American Slave. I read an excerpt and was immediately reminded of the brutality that is part of American History. But I was also reminded of the finger pointing by other nations at our United States History, the hypocrisy. I was reminded of the plight of Native Americans and Haitians whose revolution resulted in the sale of Louisiana territory by the French resulting in the addition of three slave states to the union. As I toured, I saw division documented everywhere…between the super power nations of the last 500 years. And I thought, “Oneness requires selfless service.” Our world is not a selfless place.

That’s why we’re amazed by benevolence and caring for the less fortunate. Oneness means seeing a genuine value in the lives of those you come in contact with everyday. In America we like switches. It’s December so let’s turn on the Christmas switch and be kind. Of course, such kindness is usually only directed toward our own families. If we are ONE, it is a ONEness governed by a solitary idol of wealth, entertainment, pleasure and convenience. But there is a greater ONEness that if realized would join us in the cause of being honest. No more worshiping stars who waste time, money and resources drawing attention to themselves. No more idolizing men who, aside from extraordinary athletic ability, offer little to the leading of our young people. ONEness doesn’t mean we all agree. It means we submit to the truth and such a submission is arguably the most courageous endeavor we have before us. If we can be unified about anything, let’s be unified about the truth, past and present. Let’s stop pretending to live and actually live with an interest in developing others. More to come…