Over the last 18 hours, I’ve read/heard two remarkable statements about caring, action, and being better in the world. They come from pretty different directions, but to me they somehow converge on what needs to happen more these days. They connect to openness, but they also connect openness to a much larger ethos, one that is really resonating for me right now.
The first statement is David Wiley’s astounding and moving account of his very recent experience donating a part of his liver to Cable Green. If you are reading this, you’ve probably already seen both David and Cable’s posts about the experience, including the insightful connections they both make between the donation/transplant and the other things they do in their lives. I, a somewhat optimistic curmudgeon, found it to be a great expression of humanity and of the power in taking very localized action that has enormous impact. I will continue to think about how this kind of story can iterate itself in different ways, both in my life and others.
The second statement was by U.S. women’s soccer co-captain Megan Rapinoe, during the World Cup victory parade in New York yesterday. I like soccer and I like celebrations, but it turns out I LOVE Megan Rapinoe. Her incredibly clear voice and urgent arguments—for equal pay, fairness, and the need for us all to stand up—sang through my digital radio last night. She connects her experience with sport to the experiences we should all be living every day. In her words:
“We have to be better. We have to love more, hate less. We got to listen more and talk less. We got to know that this is everybody’s responsibility. Every single person here, every single person who’s not here, every single person who doesn’t want to be here. Every single person who agrees and doesn’t agree. It’s our responsibility to make this world a better place.”
What could be more true?
These two statements really grabbed me, and as we keep making knowledge more open and working to build community and do all the other things we care about, I’m going to keep David’s and Megan’s sentiments close by. They are helping me re-converge on what matters today.