We are one

We are one, each worthy of dignity and respect. We are one, empowered by nonviolence. We are one, promoting peace and civility. These three phrases have been the theme of an ad campaign intended to further the Clinton Sisters of St. Francis’ mission of active nonviolence and peacemaking during the group’s 150th anniversary year. They are meant to be ones of encouragement, hope, and inspiration.

Awareness of our oneness, building relationships, getting to know people before we judge them, and being kind to everyone is something we should all strive for. Because there really is no “they,” there is only “us.”

Sometimes, it seems as though this country and this world are spiraling out of control. We’ve forgotten our core values, and we’ve forgotten that basically everyone has the same needs — a roof over our head, healthy food, safety, and love. We want a good education and a good future for our children. We want to be accepted for who we are. We want to connect and to live an authentic, meaningful life. We want a world free of pollution, corruption, greed, hatred, and fear.

How do we get there? We get there with love, with respect, with civility, with compassion, with forgiveness, and with peace in our hearts. When we speak, we speak with kindness. When we act, we act with love. As Martin Luther King once said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

I recently read a bumper sticker that said: “Human. Kind. Be Both.” That about sums it up.

For more information, visit www.clintonfranciscans.com

—Lori Freudenberg