"Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much."

“If you want to go fast…go alone. If you want to go far…go together.” —African Proverb

From a young age I can always remember my mother telling me: “Many hands make light work.” She would say this repeatedly reminding my brothers to work together to complete our daily chores. It wasn't long until I grew up a bit and began competing in sports that I realized that what mom said wasn’t only pertinent to cleaning up the kitchen, but also working together as a team to achieve victory. Now, a fraction more seasoned, I’ve realized that this universal law pertains to all facets of life: efforts in the work force, in schooling, politics, family units, and in endeavors to empower impoverished worn- out souls. If we want to do a job right, we need to do it together.

The Hall of Fame NFL coach Vince Lombardi once said:

“People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.”

Furthermore, we must become united in heart, mind, and purpose. We are all here on this mortal earth together, aren’t we? God didn’t intend for the vast oceans to separate civilizations forever. At the right time He would touch the mind of men and inspire the development of travel to connect our lives with all of our brothers and sisters. He knew that we would become an intertwined global society. Now, more than ever before, we truly have the chance to be one world, one heart. This being the case, should the problems of others not also be our very own? People work together when they are in the same

boat during a storm, don't they? If they choose not to, they forfeit their own and the entire crew’s chances of survival. Likewise, are we not surrounded by vast mortal storms today? For instance, The New York Times recently reported that 24,000 children worldwide die every day due to preventable causes. That’s a big storm! On a much lesser degree, we are all faced with life’s occasional downpours. It’s safe to say we are all dealing with “storms.” So why not work together? Why not realize we all have heartache? When I’m down, you pick me up. When you’re down, I’ll pick you up. I like to say: “We’re here together, might as well work together.” We need to pull together and rise up in one accord to work through the storms and increase the chances of everyone’s ability to survive and thrive.

Lastly, may we ponder Laozi’s words from the Tao Te Ching: “Succeeding is the coming together of all that is beautiful.”

We will succeed as we work together in this great cause to EMPOWER CHILDREN.

ALSO, please take a moment and watch this beautiful, inspiring, short video on the power of working together: