Lessons from an 8-year-old’s softball game carry into workplace, life
At my daughter’s softball game, I experienced a moment that resonated more deeply than I expected. The atmosphere was lively as the girls eagerly prepared for their match. Parents gathered along the sidelines, making small talk, while kids stretched, laughed, and adjusted their gloves, ready for a fun evening.
Before each game, the local recreational league has a ritual that I’ve come to appreciate — a moment when the kids line up, face the flag, and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. It’s a simple act, takes less than a minute, but it always strikes me as a reminder of something larger. There’s something adorable and surprisingly profound about watching a group of 7- and 8-year-olds stand tall and recite the words we’ve all said since childhood.
Like many of the parents that night, I stood, removed my hat, placed my hand over my heart and participated in the familiar ritual. I’ve heard these words countless times over the years — through school, at events, in various settings — and they’ve become almost automatic. Yet, this time, as I listened to these young voices speak them, one word stuck out to me in a way it hadn’t before.
Indivisible.
That word hung in the air, resonating in a way that it never had in previous moments. It was as if I was hearing it for the first time.
Not invisible.
Not individual.
Indivisible.
The weight of that word — indivisible — hit me. It’s a word we often say without much thought, but in this moment in time, it felt particularly significant. I began to consider its meaning, not just as a part of the pledge, but in the context of our everyday lives.
Indivisible refers to something that cannot be divided or torn apart. It speaks to unity, to the idea that despite our differences — whether in opinion, background or perspective — there’s an underlying bond that connects us. It suggests that there’s strength in sticking together, in refusing to let those differences become insurmountable barriers.
But there is a nuance: Indivisible doesn’t mean we are the same. It doesn’t imply that we must all think alike, believe the same things or walk identical paths. On the contrary, it acknowledges that we are, by nature, different — different in the ways we see the world, different in our personal experiences and different in how we choose to live our lives. Yet, despite these differences, we can remain united.
This message of unity is more relevant today than ever. We live in a time when division is a chosen disease. And it’s running rampant. Our public discourse is increasingly polarized, and the emphasis on individualism often overshadows the idea of collective strength. It’s not just the internet and social media that have, in many ways, amplified our differences, sometimes pushing us further apart rather than bringing us together.
But what if we instead embraced that word — indivisible — in our daily interactions with our neighbors, our co-workers and even strangers? It’s not about erasing differences but rather about acknowledging them and finding the common ground that unites us despite those differences.
This concept is simple, but let’s not confuse simple with easy. We can talk about the national issues all you want, but what does it look like in our workplaces? We encounter people with different viewpoints, working styles and backgrounds.
Some may focus on details, while others take a big-picture approach. Some may be reserved, while others are extroverted. Yet, in successful teams, these differences are not a source of division but a characteristic of strength. They allow us to see problems from multiple perspectives, to come up with more creative solutions, and to balance each other out. In a way, we embody the concept of indivisibility every time we collaborate across those differences to achieve a common goal.
The same applies to our communities. We may have different opinions about how things should be run, but at the end of the day, we all want to live in safe, thriving places. If we let our differences divide us, we lose sight of our shared goals. If we embrace the idea of being indivisible, we can work together to build stronger, more resilient communities.
Indivisibility, I realized that evening at my daughter’s game, isn’t just about patriotism or a pledge to a flag. It’s about our day-to-day interactions and the choices we make to seek connection over division. It’s about finding ways to create a bridge, hearing one another, and remembering that, no matter our differences, we are all part of something larger than ourselves.
As I stood there, listening to those young voices, I almost couldn’t breathe. The word “indivisible” had taken on new meaning for me, one that extended far beyond the softball field. It reminded me of the power of words and the importance of unity.
As we navigate a world that often feels increasingly fractured, perhaps it’s worth reflecting on what that word means for each of us and how we can embody its spirit in our own lives.
Indivisible. Not as an ideal but as a practice.
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