“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic
concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.
How often do you think about others? Not just other people you know, but other people in
general. When you sit to partake of a meal do you think of those who may be experiencing
food insecurity? When you lie down to sleep in the safety of your home, do you think of those
who are homeless? When you go about your daily activities, do you think about those who
with health challenges that limit their function? When you take your vacations, do you think of
those who are less fortunate? Most of all, do you think of how your actions affect others?
What our communities need now is more empathy and less apathy, more compassion and less
judgement, more collaboration, and less competition. What we need can only be accomplished
through the power of other-mindedness. Such a mindset is characterized by the
aforementioned values of empathy, compassion, and collaboration, and leads to a culture
characterized by equity and inclusion. When we seek to progress as a whole rather than as
individuals, we create a culture that is bigger than any one person or group.