Monday, October 15, 2012

The Power of We vs. The Power of One

Three years ago at the National Order of the Arrow Conference, I was impressed with the concept of "The Power of One." The "power of one" advocated that one person could make a difference. Images of famous people who took a stand or were caught up in the maelstrom of historic events still come to mind. The moral was for all of us to consider how we could all make a difference. We were advised to not diminish just how important one purposed person could be. One person dedicated to change or preventing change from occurring could be a remarkable thing. There were numerous examples including those unsung heroes who by their  helped shape our Declaration of Independence and kept President Andrew Johnson from being convicted at his impeachment trial. The theme for today's Blog Action Day is the Power of We. Many might consider this is very different than the "power of one," But the two terms are actually quite close. In the Power of We, there are instances of action taken by a group, which have positive consequences for society or mankind. There have been reactions to organized threats, the most horrific being war. World War II was a great example of two opposing forces fueled by the Power of We with destruction raining down on the earth as a result. The outpouring of generosity by Americans after seeing tragedy following destruction from Nature's wrath is a sterling example of the Power of We. My own hometown of New Orleans was saved by the intervention of thousands who sent millions of dollars and who came to the city to aid in the recovery effort, some of whom still live here. But the Power of We is really more than just charity. It is the capacity for men to live in harmony and respect one another. Without the Power of We there is no chance for peace or advancement. The Power of We is truly The Power of One amplified and repeated in the hearts of men and women who care. How we live as people and how we treat one another is truly the Power of We.