JOIN USSt. Francis of Assisi says, “Start by doing what’s necessary then do what’s possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” Sounds easy enough, however, often our lack of perspective and awareness of the bigger picture takes us away from doing what is required and essential.
As we moved our home, one of the first things we needed to buy was an immediate and temporary water filter to tide the days of transition. Our manual water filter was easy to use and we had to deploy only one exert from our end, we needed to fill the filter with at least as much water we took from it. You could either fill the filter with a glass of water and then take one from it, or you could take the water first and then replace it so that at all points whoever needed clean drinking water would have access to it.
It seemed simple enough, however, initially at-least, almost always the pitcher was found with insufficient amounts of water. Since there was no way of finding out who had not followed the simple rule of giving back what you take, the irksome exercise of reiterating the instruction had to be done repeatedly.
There were squabbles, as no one remembered or owned up and one of us invariably had to fill the filter from scratch. Soon, however, each one of us understood that we needed
to do our bit. Even if one of us faltered, someone else would have to make the necessary adjustments or do more than required to keep the filter going.
A family, relationship and life at large necessitate that each one of us does what is required of us. Our actions and the actions of others are inextricably linked; we matter to each other and if we give back what we take--the balance, the delicate dance of man with the natural law is maintained.
It is this balance that makes us aware that we are a part of something larger than ourselves and that we contribute to its well-being. Doing what is essential, whether filling the pitcher with water or restoring to life what we take from it is an exchange of our humanity.