"A house divided against itself cannot stand," Abraham Lincoln.
True, so very true were those inspired words by one of the greatest presidents we have ever and probably will ever be privileged to have run our country. Abraham Lincoln didn't fight for other countries, for oil, for coal, or for independence from another place. He fought for his own.
The Civil War had been fought. Hundreds of thousands lay dead. More Americans died in a single battle than in Iraq. And why did this horrid, horrid carnage happen? What would drive this slaughter of brothers and sisters, of ones own family? It was forgetting this one principal: A house divided against itself cannot stand. It all started with a disagreement. Were slaves worthy to be their own masters, to control their own fate? Were black men and women really ready to be allowed in the world as themselves?
When the North pointed to the Constitution, where it claims that "All men are created equal," the South decided that their own "house" didn't know the right of it. They were convinced that their "founding 'fathers'" were incorrect, much like we think our parents today are often wrong. So they went to war and killed many of their brothers and sisters just to defend their own misguided judgment.
It is just like what happens at home. When you have a disagreement with your brothers and sisters, and your parents take their side, don't you feel a little cheated? And don't you feel like you know better? Now of course I'm not saying that everyone feels this way on purpose, it is just a thing that is human, but do you see the pattern that is unfolding? Soon, you may be in outright "war" with your brothers and sisters and parents. Things like this happen all the time. They split apart families, and bring misery to many, many parents and siblings. Fortunately, in this example, the outcome is almost never death and killing.
When we have feelings of hate, or a spirit (yes, I am going to use the term) of unrest in a place or person, it only creates misery inside ourselves, and pity inside others. We need to shake off the burden of negative feelings, and start to embrace love, friendship, and brotherhood and sisterhood.
Another interesting thing in word breakdown (much like the "ship" in friendship) is the use of "hood." The use of that word implies that it is not something that just happens, nor is it something we become, but rather, it is something we take upon ourselves. It is a constant, unchanging commitment to stand united with our brothers and sisters, and take our stand together, following our parents, whether you want to look at leaders, teachers, parents, or even heavenly parentage, it becomes a duty to stand together, firm and strong.
How often have we heard the phrase "Divided we fall, but united we stand?" Is it a coincidence that such phrases crop up all over the place? Since the dawn of man, where a single man could spear a gazelle and feed himself, or take a company of men to spear a mammoth, and feed and entire village, we could always rely on the strength of others to gain much more. Today it has changed little. Sure we have great oceans and great religions in our way, but the mantle of brotherhood and sisterhood defies all boundaries. Just think how many wars we could stop, how many lives we could save if we just realized that we need each other. I think that that would be the one step that would lead to an incredible world.
P.S. Sorry for being late this week, but I was horribly sick yesterday.
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