Unity

I want to acknowledge Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his efforts to end our sense of separateness and move us closer to unity. In a compelling letter from Birmingham Jail, he eloquently expressed this profound truth: “In a real sense, all life is interrelated. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the inter-related structure of reality.”

King’s wisdom is a powerful reminder of the intricate connections that bind all humans and the shared destiny we inhabit. Unfortunately, we continue to live in a world where we lose sight of our interconnectedness, particularly when we impose inner standards for ourselves, others, and the world that obscure our interdependence. It remains questionable how free we are when discrimination, inequality, power dynamics, and injustice remain part of our reality. The truth is that inequality exists because a sense of separateness remains within us. We can create greater unity in our outer world by first cleaning up our inner world. We can freely decide how to think, act, feel, and experience this world. It is our birthright as humans. We get to decide if we want to focus our consciousness on thoughts that unify us or add to our sense of separateness. 

 Separateness not only arises from our beliefs about race, politics, sexual orientation, wealth, education, and religion. But also from our judgments about ourselves, others, and the world. We have imagined a perceived idea about who we are superior and inferior to. We judge ourselves because we believe something is wrong with us. Our sense of separateness grows when we judge others to make ourselves feel superior. We forget we all come from the same source and believe we know best about how the world should be. We create separateness from ourselves when we engage in behaviors that numb us from experiencing our reality. This disconnect grows when we place harsh standards on ourselves, others, and the world rather than take action to create a more loving space for us all to share. 

Only we can improve our inner landscape and move toward a better future. Not because anything is wrong with us. But committing ourselves to living from a place of unity, love, and peace will improve our experience here. And as King reminds us, whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. The decision to question and break down our inner barriers not only affects our lives but also ripples out into the lives of others. We can use our minds to creatively generate ways to help others overcome their judgments and limiting beliefs. Not because anything is wrong with them. But if others live with a greater sense of connection, purpose, and meaning, they may help others do the same. We could share in our inner joy and focus our minds on finding creative solutions to form a better world. Not because anything is wrong with the world. But because playing a part in creating a cleaner, healthier, safer, more unified, and stable world is a project worth investing our time in for future generations to enjoy. Not only does this creation add meaning to our lives, but it also has the potential to change our shared destiny.