There is an African Proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”.
We’re in a time in society where people are working hard to separate us based on our political stance, and divide families based on cultural dictates. Over time, this perspective and mission will not yield a positive outcome, promising to leave a trail of broken, angry, and despondent people in need of care. As human beings, our strength will be best experienced in accepting and practicing interdependence.
Interdependence is the dependence of two or more people on one another. Why is this important? Because a house, a business, a nation divided against itself cannot stand.
As we grow, we start off dependent on those around us beginning with our parents. At a certain stage in our lives, that dependency becomes independence, where we start learning to do things on our own where we can boast of being able to “stand on our own two feet”. However, independence should not be our only goal. We should strive to become interdependent. With the right people in your corner, you can go farther than you’ve ever dreamed, and you can accomplish more than you’ve ever imagined!
The best families, communities, teams, organizations, companies, cities, and nations can point to their mission of unity and interdependence as the separating factors that allow them to soar.
So, if you find that you are struggling to get ahead in your life right now, assess the role you are playing in the lives of others, and vice versa.
If you are not as successful as you’d like to be, ask yourself, “Who am I working with to help me sharpen my skills?”
If your family is falling apart, consider how much time you spend together and whether or not you are intentional about the level of support you’re giving to one another in pursuing your individual goals.
No matter how much we may think we can make it on our own, it’s just not true. People need each other. We are better together. In fact, it’s our interdependence that strengthens us to stand as individuals.
Image by Jerzy Górecki from Pixaby
