by Bob Lesniewski and Amy Renshaw
Published in the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, September 22, 2019
Why should people get together? Well, one good reason is that it makes us happy. According to a Harvard University study, close relationships with others are vital to our happiness, health, and longevity. We are people who need other people. When we get together, we come to understand our neighbors better. We find out what beliefs and values we have in common. We bond over shared interests—whether that’s running, square dancing, fishing, or watching Packer games.
It makes sense that more understanding and friendship among individuals can lead to a more peaceful community. And we all want to live in peace. You have an opportunity to get together with people who believe in peace at the Interfaith Prayer Service for Peace and Unity on Wednesday, September 25, at 6:30 p.m. at the Ecumenical Religious Center on the UW-Eau Claire campus.
We hear every day that our world is becoming more and more divided. We hear about people’s hatred, anger, and dislike for those of other races and religions. We may complain about how politicians and leaders can’t get together and find agreement. Let’s set an example for them. If we’re not working to break down the divisions in our society, we’re really helping to keep them in place. But if we spend time focusing on the beliefs we have in common with others, we can build hope for a brighter future.
One way to start making connections is by listening to and learning from others. When we walk around our city, we can see that it’s easy to ignore other people and avoid getting together. We can go to a fast food restaurant, each of us sitting in our separate cars at the drive-up window, and grab a meal without having a real conversation with anyone. Many of us spend our time looking at our mobile phones, signaling to others that using a technical device is more important than talking to others. We may plug our ears and listen to music or news from people hundreds of miles away, rather than listening to the people right next to us. Maybe we can find a better balance and use technology to help us make connections with each other through email, social media, and text messages.
Even though we’re busy, maybe we can carve out the time to have a cup of coffee or go for a walk with a neighbor. If having a peaceful and happy community and getting along with others are important to us, are we taking opportunities to do something about it? Are we modeling it for kids and youth? Have you ever seen a person sitting alone and gone over to say hello and ask to join them? When you’re in the checkout line at the grocery store and the cashier asks how you are, do you look them in the eye and say, “How are you ?” You may find that they look up in surprise and say, “Thanks for asking!”
On September 25, you have an opportunity to take a small step toward building a stronger community. We’re gathering with people who are different from us because of the way they practice their religious beliefs. People of any religion or no religion are warmly welcomed. We’ll hear from those who practice the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, and Baha’i faiths. We’ll focus on values we have in common: community, respect, compassion, listening, and kindness. These are values that can make the world better. If you believe these things are important, and if you have hope for peace, we hope that you’ll join us!
Bob Lesniewski is a monastic Catholic, a Benedictine oblate and organizer of the Interfaith Prayer Service. Amy Renshaw is a Baha’i and a writer for Brilliant Star, a kids’ magazine and website published by the Baha’i faith.
