All Together Now

When I first glimpsed these babies, I had to grin in sheer delight. It took only seconds for the memories to flash across my mind, for me to step back into time, when my own children were young and beginning to play sports.

The name of the game? Soccer.

And, if you know anything about little ones playing soccer, you know that "holding your position" and "teamwork" meant little. Their aim? To kick the ball. Every last one of them wanted a piece of that ball.

No one played defense; they all went after that ball, and soon, rather than playing soccer, they played "Bunchball."

You rarely glimpsed the ball, but you knew just about its exact spot. Just watch the kids...like a swarm of bees, they huddled around that ball, each and every one of them trying their level best to make contact.

The goalie, poor soul, rarely had to do much. Even if that swarm of bees  kids worked their way to the goal, that ball never could break loose. It remained forever entrapped by a mass of miniature humanity. Up and down the field they went, every one kicking away in sheer delight.

In the case of the babies in this photo, I suspect that body contact translates into "safety in numbers."

But, there's something else this photo brings to mind, and I've watched a growing trend happening on the web.

Numbers equal the power to help. Way too often, we want to help, but we don't know how. We wonder if our dollars really do help, because sometimes the amount we have to give isn't much, especially if you look at the big picture. And, honestly, it helps if there is some sort of personal connection, well, it helps. We relate somehow. We take delight in watching the money raised grow. And, we know how it's helping, whom it's helping, and we realize something else.

Working together, the small amounts add up into something huge and powerful, and our voices get heard.

One voice crying out? All too often it gets lost in the din of everyday life.

Many voices crying out? They drown out that same dim.

And, so, I've been taking part in various "Go Fund Me" campaigns. With people from all over this world, from many walks of life, I've helped a farrier keep his farm while recovering from a knee operation. I've helped a family get a much needed furnace when their very old system just shut down. I've helped young people earn needed funds to be able to travel and work in third world countries.  And, now, I'm helping, in my own small way, this man. You can read more about his story here. With great delight, I'm watching a lesson I so often tried to impart to my middle schoolers. By ourselves, we sometimes feel like we can't help, or that we can do just isn't that much. But when we work together, well, WOW! Just watch the magic happen. In Joshua's case, I've watched a little over 1000 people from all over work together to raise over $45, 000.

Magic can happen, if we bunch together. Our pennies add up to something bigger than ourselves.

So, all together now, okay?