We are all individuals with our own tempers and agendas. Sometimes our egos get in the way of the better good, but most often - with the cause and goal in mind - even the most stubborn and self-observed individual can get over themselves in order to achieve their objective. During the recent months, that have now turned to over a year and a half, I have encountered many activists who have clashed over whatever personal disagreement came up and even occasionally deeper rifts were grown with the obvious result in a lack of cooperation and aborted projects.
Today I donated a very modest amount of money to a fellow activist who had set up this wonderfully enthusiastic and innovative orphan sponsorship collection on Facebook where he encouraged folks to donate money towards the sponsorship of five Syrian orphans. Lo and behold, within a couple of days he had reached his minimum goal and was now reaching for even a higher number of orphans that would now be guaranteed food and some sort of financial stability for at least a year.
As it happened, then I wanted to donate because like this activist then I love doing good also and setting up initiatives and - like him - then I know what it means to get support from many people and a pat on the back. I sent off my (honestly shamefully modest) donation and received in return a wonderful thank you email that also brought to my attention the fact that the brother and I had previously had some disagreements which was why he was especially surprised and thrilled over my contribution. I was floored. It had honestly never occurred to me to not support him (nor was I carrying the disagreement in my mind or heart). Yes, we had disagreed over some pro-Revolution project and I had - as a matter of fact-- left the Facebook group as I had not wanted my dissent from the majority to bring down the focus of the group. The reality was that their group and their intentions were wonderful all along, but just had not jibed with my needs (or perhaps even with my ego since I was their senior in age and from my perspective also experience) and I had had different expectations about the activist group than what was the perceived reality. However, it had never occurred to me to carry a grudge for ages or to abort helping and supporting useful and innovative programs out of pride or arrogance. I replied to this honest brother's pleasure at my support of his project, and he agreed and was enthused that as activists and humans the cause was bigger than the ego and individual discrepancies.
The People United Will Never Be Defeated. This is the mantra I try to follow and live by (but, of course, I am only human and have temper and an ego, so you never know if those might come in the way one time for uniting and working together for our shared goal).
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