We’re One – But We’re Not the Same

Too late,
Tonight,
To drag the past out into the light,
We’re one, but we’re not the same,
We get to,
Carry each other,
Carry each other,
One...

—U2 (the band), One.

There is a fact of life that we’re all too apt at overlooking much to our confused and ignorant consternation, individually and collectively. It is the principle of our oneness—our innate interdependence.

Like the parts of a river we’re all so connected. The ground is relatively static. Water is not. And like a body of water we’re highly permeable, absorbing and assimilating the least stimuli, forever connected and affected by the actions and interactions of the world and our fellows.

Just recently some commentators calling an international golf tournament were lauding the camaraderie of the players in urging and encouraging each other on and the unity of the game, unlike other professional and competitive sports, noting what wonderful role models these golfers were to children.

They mentioned, ‘We’re one,’ and it reminded me also of the point that Michael Jackson made in passing regarding the base message of his Earth Song.

We just don’t seem to get the point though. We rip and tear and bust at the cords of life, pulling down our environment and damaging our relationships—anything, in fact—all’s up for grabs and everything, it appears, has a cost; a cost we’re almost certainly willing to either bear or not bear.

The point is we pull down our oneness in a flash.

The remedy is close at hand, however. We display our love and kindness and grace, patiently and gently interacting with our world—the world we’re at one with.

For when we’ve destroyed part of the world, or a relationship, we’ve destroyed part of ourselves into the bargain.

Oneness: a divine phenomenon we can but marvel at.

© S. J. Wickham, 2009.