We’re all on a lifteboat - that’s leaking. I start bailing out water with my trusty refillable mug. But I know if I’m smug, or Myrtle starts moaning “it’s pointless”, no one will join me. I quietly keep at my work, even though it doesn’t seem to be helping, because, I hope, it must be helping. After many scoops, I notice that other people are bailing too. We manage to slow the flooding of the boat enough that young Ichabod is able to get a decent patch on one of the leaks, giving Sujata time to try to find a longer term fix, while Iffat convinces everyone to join in on the bailing. After hours of bailing water out of the boat, we are making a small dent. We are exhausted, but we are a team. Then Sujata exclaims that she’s figured out how to siphon water out of the boat if we all act together. We leap into action. Soon the water level in the boat is receding, and lo and behold, we sight land.
Thank you for anchoring the position of individual responsibility. This piece speaks to a place in my heart that needs to hear it.