“Hitler’s strategy was divide and conquer. Fortunately, he did not prevail but his method very nearly wrecked civilization as we know it. Allegedly, this country was brought together in the spirit of co-operation and an  ‘all for one and one for all’ spirit. We united.

Today, we are constantly being divided into self interest groups of one. We are individually targeted and marketed to. We no longer have network television where we all watch ‘Gunsmoke’ on Sunday nights (for 20 years) and then talk at the water cooler the next day.

We are splintered and fragmented. Instead of uniting for the common good it seems our representatives fight over what they want with little regard for the people they represent. Protests are more difficult to wage today then they were 30 or 60 years ago.

Without A Sense Of Caring There Is No Sense Of Community

We walk around with our faces in our cell phones. We no longer call a place to reach who is there we call an individual. Most all of us have cell phones. What is my point in this? Is it political? No, we could discuss politics but my point is we are separated, alone, and isolated.

We are brought together by the internet. Social media connects us. Twitter and Facebook and the rest are how we interact. We get our news and entertainment from questionable sources much of the time. It gets harder and harder to unite people for causes.

Oh, it is not over. There still are some but we are less of a community in everyday life. We no longer sit around the family room together watching TV, listening to the radio, telling stories or singing songs. We telecommute or work from home in many cases. Computers!

A Community That Excludes Even One Member Is No Community

We aren’t involved with each other the way we once we. We don’t know our neighbors, our community. John Donne coined, ‘No man is an island’ yet it seems more of us are becoming that. I question at times if that isn’t the great plan. Another form of divide and control.

BUT I said this wasn’t about politics and it isn’t. It is about co-operation. It is about teamwork. It is about the spirit of helping each other, lifting each other up, encouraging each other to move forward and stimulating and enjoying the success of those around us.

We don’t need to compete each other to death. A little competition is good to stimulate. Games are good. It encourages people to excel. However, we need not compete and destroy. We need to compete and grow stronger together. We need to make things better.

Support Each Other And Incredible Things Can Happen

We need to share what we know with others so they too can grow. We can educate and uplift. We can cooperate and thrive. We can go the extra mile and add value to others and help them succeed because then they are likely to want to return the favor to us. Get it?

Reciprocity means I buy you dinner and you feel like you want to buy me dinner. We take turns. We are mutually obligated. That is the way our world works and how it worked for so long. People doing good for each other. Helping each other. We want to give back.

That is why community meetings, dances, church, weddings, funerals were and are important. We unite. We came together to solve problems together or to celebrate lives. Solving problems together means working together toward a common goal. Cooperation.

Come Together – Unite – Hang – Enjoy – Celebrate – Be Together

That is how our political system is supposed to work. Okay, whoops, I slipped that in there, but as an example. We get nowhere obfuscating or obstructing from either side of the isle. We are supposed to be united for the good of all concerned. We aren’t.

We are passed over because of lobbyists and interest groups. Many times favors are granted to the highest bidder. Alright, enough! No more politics but I hope the example is clear. We can’t run our lives or business off the example we see in our government. Its crappy.

It isn’t a good role model any longer. That is what we should be. We should be better role models. We should be more conscientious. We need to care more for each other and a little bit less for ourself. Love yourself. It is critically important but love others too. Keep giving.

Be Around People In Person Who Can Love And Support You

Take time for the people around you. Connect in person. Put the phone away for awhile. YES, I know it is difficult to not take another selfie or text someone something inane. I know it is nearly impossible to abstain. Give it a try for a couple minutes at a time.

Connect in person! Give some attention. Listen to listen and learn not to argue and counterpoint. Listen to discover who the person you are with is and what is important to this person. Allow them to discover you too! Exchange and enjoy! Live and uplift. Share. TALK!

We are niche marketed into splinters. We aren’t exposed to diverse concepts as groups. Let’s not exist only as a person in a house at a computer but let’s be a neighborhood again. Let’s discover a diverse community not just those who are carbon copies of us.

Strangers Are Potential Friends – We Just Haven’t Met Them Yet

Let’s go beyond our limits. Let’s seek to understand outside the box and our narrow sphere of our targeted personal niche. Let’s understand and appreciate others for their different opinions and practices. Let’s become a melting pot again. Let’s connect.

Let’s cooperate. Let’s support and uplift. Let’s learn from everyone and from everywhere. Let’s celebrate the uniqueness of everyone and appreciate all the similarities. We are, people, one species, after all. We are a diverse collection of one species on one globe.

Don’t buy into the goal of the marketers and the media to provide you only what you already like. Expand your horizons. Bridge the gaps. Delight in difference. I’m not saying you can’t have your singular likes, you can, but have others also. There world is vast!

Learn From Everyone – Learn From Everywhere – Be Open – Invite

Go beyond what you know. Expose your mind to new and different ideas. Embrace and delight in all of it. Be receptive. Come out from behind the technology and interact. Face to face rather than face to Facebook. Enjoy, learn, connect and celebrate everyone and celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes

Meet someone new today!

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Photo used with permission of Phil Koch.