Unity

I taught for 30 years in Two Rivers and Manitowoc and I am currently spending my days at Grow it Forward. A few years back, I joined PFLAG, an organization committed to creating a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed. The local chapter has been active for over ten years and is an incredible group of people whom I now call friends.

As a transgender woman, I’ve lived most of my life in the shadows, fearful that my authentic self would be discovered and that I’d lose my job and perhaps some of my friends. In reality I was floored with my systems of support and I was able to transition on the job and bask in deeper friendships.

The reception from my family, friends and my community warmed my heart. I was looking for tolerance and instead, I found acceptance. I felt that the weight of hiding my true self was lifted and the world was ready to accept people like me.

It matters not how you identify or whom you love.

It matters not how you present or the color of your skin. What matters is that you remain true to your self and your values, surrounded by those who support you.

Words fascinate me and I can’t help but notice that the word community contains the word unity. A community is a coming together of people from all walks of life.

I’ve been to Stonewall in New York where just 51 years ago, people were beaten and arrested for freely living their lives. We HAVE made progress in our world. I find hope with the young people of our society. Many of the differences that are an issue for members of my generation, matter not to the youth. One of the women I taught with has children who know me as the Garden Lady. This past summer, they were over picking peas. Afterward, my friend relayed to me that her four year old wanted to know why her girlfriend had a boy voice. Her seven year old daughter knowledgeably explained that sometimes God puts a boy heart in a boy body but sometimes God puts a boy heart in a girl body. And sometimes it

matches and sometimes it doesn't. They're still the same as their heart. Needless to say, the insightful words of this child brought tears to my eyes. I have also found this degree of acceptance from my students and my journey has been nothing short of amazing. There IS hope that uniting in kindness will benefit our society.

If you know me, you know that Gandhi is my guy. When faced with a difficult choice in life, I often look to Gandhi’s wisdom. Many of Gandhi’s words resonate with me. “My life is my message.” I have tried to live a life in accordance with my values, as Gandhi did. Gandhi was trying to be his best self and in the process, helped lead India to independence. He helped to unify the people. Gandhi also said, “I am a Hindu a Muslim a Christian and a Jew.” This reminds me of the South African word “Ubuntu”. We are all connected. I first came across this word in a book by ArchBishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama. The word is fascinating and the meaning varies with the translations. I like the way President Obama stated it at Nelson Mandela’s memorial, “There is a word in South Africa – Ubuntu – a word that captures Mandela’s greatest gift: his recognition that we are all bound together in ways that are invisible to the eye; that there is a oneness to humanity; that we achieve ourselves by sharing ourselves with others, and caring for those around us.”

Another person whose words also resonate within me is my father. In my youth, I was frustrated with the problems in the world. My father helped me to understand that I can’t change the world but I can change my corner of it. And that is what each of us needs to do, work on our corner and the world WILL be a better place. It is our diversity that gives us strength. We must continue to learn from each other and support each other. Words I try to live by are: Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

Especially now, in these trying times, we need to come together, be kind, and act as one. If we want better neighborhoods, we need to be better neighbors. We need to stop looking at our differences; we need to stop dividing ourselves into groups. We need to stop being fearful of our differences and instead we need to all come together under the umbrella of humanity. We have to celebrate our human-ness. We need to recognize that it is through unity we will thrive. From Gestalt psychology we learn that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. You may have sugar, butter, oil, flour, baking soda and chocolate chips. Each is beneficial and good. But if you combine them, they make an awesome cookie. As humans, we each have strengths and positive attributes. Through connections and unity, we flourish as a community. Just like a rainbow is much more than the individual colors, our personal vibrancy can enhance our world.

Each of us is a thread, with our own colors. Alone we are a single strand, but weave us together into the fabric of humanity and together we are a wonderful mosaic. The finest linens have a higher thread count... strong, comfortable and beautiful.

As Dr. King said, “Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” We need more kindness, we need more love. When I graduated from Lincoln High School forty years ago, our class motto was the famous quote: “I shall pass this way but once. Any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

As I mentioned earlier, I am connected with Grow it Forward. I feel so fortunate to have landed there after my teaching career has ended. Recently, I have reflected about the name of the organization. Grow it Forward. Just what does IT stand for? Growing plants for sure. But IT also refers to other things as well. As we work to redefine the mission of the organization, the IT refers to the community. We need to grow, as a people. We need to move forward, as a people. We need to find community. The donated church building that we are housed in used to be a vibrant place of coming together. Watch for good things to come, in this building and elsewhere in the lakeshore. We need to come together and unite in our differences, safely under the umbrella of humanity.

Thank you.