John Donne penned the famous “No Man is an Island” poem as a part of a sermon in the 1600’s.
I guess because it was a popular choral tune for school programs in the 1960’s, I have always liked Joan Baez’s rendition of this thought.
Her first two stanzas go like this:
No man is an island,
No man stands alone,
Each man’s joy is joy to me,
Each man’s grief is my own.We need one another,
So I will defend,
Each man as my brother,
Each man as my friend.
I think the advent of social networking has brought this theory back to light. I have found great support in family, and in friends old and new on Facebook.
I saw on the news last night that there is a new diagnosis by some psychiatrist called “Facebook Depression.”
I think that we can add just about any adjective in front of depression like Sneaker Funk Depression, Cereal Choice Depression, Red Light Depression, and many others. I’m
really stuck on Red Light Depression because I see lot of people lost in thought while waiting out a traffic light.
Anyway, let’s get back to Joan Baeaz, who was more of of social activist than a social net-worker.
Her lyrics seem to bring about a thought with which many might agree.
As I sat in oncology at the hospital yesterday I met another acquaintance who is affected by cancer. It seems we are all tied together in thoughts and prayers when it comes to
sharing the effects of a disease or disaster. I think it goes beyond, “Misery loves company.”
I think it lends more to the fact that God wants us to share and celebrate with each other whether it includes laughter or tears.
I love the company. The misery can go to people who sadly wall themselves in.
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God 2nd Corinthians 4:15
the story never ends... 