No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as any manner of thy friends or of thine own were; any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
This excerpt from John Donne’s 400 year old “Meditation 17” is so relevant today. It speaks to how much we need each other, and how every one of our actions impact the lives of others. This is true at any time, but it is particularly significant during this time of universal hardship. To me, the tolling bell is a call to care, to act, to be involved. During this season of Lent, a time of reflection and repentance, we should strive for an awareness of what separates us from each other and from God.
Submitted by Mara Amedia (from the archives, 2021)