Voices of Western Colorado: Unity
Originally published in the Fall 2020 issue of SPOKE+BLOSSOM
Photo by Cat Mayer
We are different; we always have been and always will be. However, different shouldn't divide us, but unify us because different is an asset.
— Elizabeth Margo
Unity
We asked these Western Slope locals to weigh in on this topic.
Anna Stout
City Council Member, executive director at Roice-Hurst Humane Society, founder and president of Foundation for Cultural Exchange
Unity, to me, is an understanding of our shared interdependence. The idea that when one of us suffers, we all suffer and if one of us succeeds, we all succeed. I have seen it on multiple levels as the pandemic has taken place and as issues of race have really come to the surface. Just within our organization, realizing that the only way we are going to stay safe and continue to be able to serve animals, pet owners and the community, is if we are looking out for each other.
Kathi Roy
Wine Country Ceremonies
To me, unity is a word for joining together as a whole, often with a common purpose. It is the opposite of being divided. We unite when we pray, go to concerts or root for our favorite team. Recently, we have witnessed unity in our community when people protest injustice. Fortunately, as a life cycle celebrant, I get to witness unity in the ceremonies I co-create. In a marriage ceremony, the unity candle unites not only the couple, but two or more families as friends, as well. We experience unity at a celebration of life when we collectively listen to stories, share a moment of silence and commune with fellow grievers. Harmony, goodwill and love abound when we gather together in unity.
John Humphries
Owner of Lizard Head Cycling Guides
Unity in the 21st-century is more important than ever. To me, unity is a shared vision of environmental sustainability and caring for one another. In the big picture, our time together on this planet is both short and challenging. Our legacy will be the love we offer one another and the environment we leave for our children. At this point in time, the planet’s warming climate and associated drought, pestilence and infestations are humbling the world. Working towards a brighter future will require both a unity of vision and patience.