I remember watching people with nothing band together what little supplies they had to survive a disaster. I remember seeing people take their personal boats into storm surge areas to help those suffering exposure and hypothermia, pick up dogs trapped on roof tops and people standing on their cars under threat of advancing waters. I remember neighbors coming together to sand bag the most viable house on the block and then staying there through the length of the storm. Together.
That is the America I want. Where we see trouble and we figure out how we can contribute, and then dive in, no hesitation, no questions asked, nothing expected in return. We hear about small towns where everyone knows each other and family is your whole community. These small towns, rural places and villages show us the best in people. They band together and pitch in where needed. I have been told by some people from places like that they “take care of their own”. Which doesn’t make them different from me at all. I pitch in when trouble brews. I offer help when hearts are low and hope and love when things seem bleak. I guess the only way in which we differ is in who I consider “my own people” to be.
I live in a coastal city. It’s beautiful. I love my city.
That older man who just tripped on the sidewalk in front of me? He’s my people. I have never seen him before but I picked up his bag for him and gave him my arm for a few paces until he was ok to go on his own. I consider everyone in my apartment complex to be my people but it doesn’t stop there. This city is my people. From the center of the bustle and past to the quiet open spaces of the deserts and creeping over the mountains and through the hills – filled with my people. Way up at the top of my state - those are my people too. In fact, the people just coming here, the ones from other countries? The people that still don’t have any papers or property? THOSE are my people too. I’m so glad that I can contribute in ways I will never see. I won’t ever be able to get into a boat and rescue people by hand but I DO pay my taxes happily and vote for those benefits to reach the most needy among us. In fact, my state doesn’t take in more federal taxes than it pays – we fund projects helping the needy throughout the whole of this country and even beyond. My tax dollars feed the poorest in the smallest of towns and the policies I vote for lend a helping hand up to those less fortunate than I in every state of this great union. My contributions go to protect wild places, keep our water and air clean, and keep our heritage for future generations.
I do believe that some of my tax dollars are even funneled out in the form of aid to other countries. When I see food deliveries to hungry people I think “Thank goodness we can contribute - I am so lucky to live in a place that does better than it has to, those are my people too”.
You see – we’re not that different – farm folk, town folk, and city folk. You in your small town and rural places and I in my big city. We both know the right thing to do is to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Offer a drink to the thirsty. That is reflex hospitality.
Maybe there’s some distractions now? Maybe some people who are greedy and hide their true motivations in systems of fear and use that to turn us away from each other? Maybe it’s not in their best interest if we all help each other and grow stronger together? I know I don’t want to put isolating distinctions on who is “my people”.
I know that the start of this great country was the united people. United against cruelty and despair, we can overcome anything. And maybe that is what is the scariest thing for the people intent on dividing us? As long as they control the narrative and it’s “us vs them” then we are not united. We are being driven away from each other.
Our differences are not walls – they are bridges. Just one farm over… one county over… one city over... one state over… one ocean over – we are all the same family! Our differences are not what keep us apart from each other. It’s not the unfamiliar that drives us from connection. It’s lies and fear and hate that divide us.
“We take care of our own”.
The whole world is our own.
So when I get my smog check, pick up trash at a local park, limit water waste, support organic farming, eat a plant-based diet, boycott single-use plastics, reduce my carbon footprint, recycle electronics properly, dispose of chemicals and toxins safely, contribute to NGOs, donate to environmental groups, volunteer with children, monitor treatment of the vulnerable, vote for laws, support regulations - I AM taking care of my own.