I Am Because You Are

As we navigate these challenging times, it's important to remember that we are all in this together. Our individual actions have a profound impact on the larger community, and it's our responsibility to care for one another. This understanding is at the heart of African spirituality, which teaches that we are all interconnected and that our very existence depends on maintaining harmonious relationships with all of creation.

One of the key concepts in African spirituality is Ubuntu, which emphasizes the vital importance of mutual recognition, respect, care, and sharing in the construction of human relations. Ubuntu reminds us that "I am because you are" - that our own humanity is inextricably linked to the humanity of others. When we embrace this understanding, we become open and available to others, affirming of their abilities and goodness, and ready to cooperate and communicate with them.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was deeply influenced by the wisdom of Ubuntu, and he worked tirelessly to develop the Beloved Community - a vision of social harmony and universal brotherhood that would follow the current social struggle. King believed that through reconciliation and the recognition of our shared humanity, blacks and whites could walk together as a family of brothers and sisters, without racial strife or disharmony.

In these times of social distancing and isolation, the wisdom of Ubuntu is more important than ever. Loneliness and its associated mental health issues were already reaching epidemic proportions before the current crisis, and it's crucial that we don't let ourselves forget that we belong to each other. By embracing the interconnectedness of all things and practicing the self-giving and cooperation that Ubuntu teaches, we can build a more just, compassionate, and resilient world for all.

(adopted from: Diana L. Hayes, A Great Cloud of Witnesses)