The Value of the Whole

Thinking back to my grade school years, I can’t recall how many times I heard the phrase, “part, part, whole,” over and over. Whether it was the parts of a sentence or the parts of a mathematical equation the concept meant the same thing…. that a whole is nothing without its subparts. When looking at society I can’t help, but think how beautiful it is to know that we all get to share this earth. We are but one part to a bigger whole. There are so many people that came before us and so many that will come after us that will leave a piece of them behind completing a story of what was and what is to come.

We can only hope that a piece of us will also stay behind to inspire change and continue to pave the way for goodness for all. How many of our ancestors, family members and children have struggled with their purpose, their legacy? We oftentimes get so caught up thinking about the day to day works that we forget that our purpose and value are not rooted solely in what we accomplish at the end of the work shift. We are meant to sow into others, to seek knowledge and wisdom, to overcome barriers and to grow as individuals. A fruitful future for not just one person, but all that come and go is what we should strive for.

So, how do we accomplish this? Well, it begins with recognizing that our bodies, minds, and souls all need to be fed and preserved. We need healthier options to keep us physically strong. We need access to and support in learning how to navigate and manage complex bureaucratic systems and processes. We need to be surrounded by people full of passion and perseverance. We can’t do this life alone and we can’t assume that what we know today is enough.

Sowing for Health is about that very message. A message that says to people we are going to sow in you what the education system didn’t sow in you, what the government didn’t sow in you, what your families and communities didn’t sow in you. We are going to sow the tools and resources to attain what seemed impossible. We are going to water the mind with knowledge that will help you overcome the barriers presented by a world of “no’s” and “call this number.” We are going to harvest new communities grounded in justice and equity. We are going to harvest new generations of businesses and entrepreneurs from populations that couldn’t see past their poorly paid and draining jobs. We are going to teach people to fish instead of just giving them a fish to eat one day a year.

If we invest in sharing knowledge, providing access to resources, assist with the incubation period of new ideas, we will give new life to communities that have primarily been left out of the “whole” equation and reintegrate them with intentionality. These same people can continue to teach their communities long after Sowing for Health is no longer there.

We will essentially sow good seeds of wisdom, equity and justice and will reap a harvest of thriving communities once isolated from the abundance available to others.