Hold Hands

First Nations are coming together to help create a brighter future

Before Linda and I embarked on a year long low budget tour of the world, a friend shared some advice - "Hold hands." They were words that served us well as we navigated our way through unfamiliar lands.

We considered not just of the physical act of holding on, but also the spirit of the words. This came in handy in cultures where public displays of affection are frowned upon. We still 'held hands', but here it meant looking out for, and supporting, each other.

During these dark days it is important to look out for each other. To stick together and hold hands.

That is essentially what the 2012 UN International Year of Cooperatives was all about. It has been a celebration of people coming together and organizing collectively to meet their needs.

In spite of this reminder, we have forgotten to hold hands, and at a bad time. 

Now more than any other recent time we need to pull together. This is what is happening in Greece, where they are organizing to survive. This is what is  happening in Canada where 1st Nations are organizing to survive. Increasingly, this is what is happening around the world.

We can understand this in our families. When things are good everyone benefits, and when things are not so good, everyone shares in the suffering. We have forgotten that we are all family, all sisters and brothers, and what affects one segment of society or part of the world, eventually affects them all.

When we work together for the common good, we find a doable alternative to the present profit-oriented system that puts so many and so much at risk, just so a few can benefit.

We can do this thing, if we remember to watch out for each other during the dark days, and hold hands.