I’m a firm believer in the Power of One.
We hear it all the time. It takes a village. Safety in numbers. The energy of a group of people coming together to bring about change.
Change, however, usually starts with one. One idea. One thought. One person.
In 1980, Candy Lightner founded Mothers Against Drunk Driving when her daughter, Cari, was killed by a repeat drunken-driving offender. Consider how our culture, state and federal laws and our awareness about driving while intoxicated have changed since that one woman started a cultural revolution.
One mother starts the ball rolling to change a culture. Pretty cool.
I was gently reminded of the power of one with the recent passing of the Rev. Philip Bender of Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Father Bender arrived in State College in 1989 with the assignment of starting a new parish in a Catholic community that had become too big for one church. To quote the new pastor at Good Shepherd and a longtime friend of Father Bender, the Rev. Charles Amershek, ‘Father Bender arrived in State College with a map with a line drawn down the middle’ and from there he made a difference. For the next 21 years, Father Bender was the driving force behind what has become a now-thriving faith community. That community has had a huge impact on my family. I was always impressed with Father Bender’s personal approach to helping us learn and examine our faith – humor, great personal stories and the ability to give a great homily without using notes.
One person and his ability to make a difference.
The Power of One.
The power of one can be the power to make change by taking initiative. Pushing forth an idea when everyone else says, ‘It won’t work.’ Standing alone when you know in your heart or in your gut that something isn’t right or could be better. Taking risks, even if it means rejection or hurt, to be the lone voice.
Think of all the great innovators whose single ideas have made a difference in our lives. Think of the amazing men and women in our lives who have changed the world – or even just a small part of it – with the power of one. Think about how the power of one can impact us on a personal level.
I read with sadness about the closing of the preschool at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in State College. My family was very much impacted by Director Carolyn Scheetz and her ‘power of one’ with each of our children. As young parents, we trusted Mrs. Scheetz and her colleagues, Val Anderson and Gloria Ennis, with all three of our children as each began the learning and socializing that takes place as little ones begin to reach outside of the safety and comfort of their homes. Mrs. Scheetz’ nurturing and soft-spoken style had a huge impact on all of us. Her ability to spark the excitement of toddlers who were sometimes unsure, sometimes a bit too excited, sometimes sad about being away from home shows how one person can make a difference.
As parents, we try to teach our children about the power of one. Stand up for what you believe in. Do the right thing when everyone else is doing something that conflicts with your value system. If all your friends are jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge, does that mean you should jump too? Don’t go along just to be included. One person can say, ‘I won’t do it just to be cool’ or ‘It’s not right’ and perhaps make a difference.
Several years ago, I had the opportunity as a faculty member to be involved in the aftermath of a fraternity hazing incident when one of my students asked for my help. As a fraternity officer, he was interrogated by police and called before Judicial Affairs after a pledge initiation got out of hand and several students ended up with near-death alcohol poisoning. That student was a bright young man with an amazing future ahead of him. He forgot about the power of one. As a lone person, he would never pour beer down someone’s throat or drench someone with alcohol on a beer ‘slip and slide.’ Throughout his interactions with Judicial Affairs, meetings with attorneys, his parents attending hearings on campus and, eventually, a semester off campus, he kept coming back to this: ‘How could I have made a difference?’ One person saying No that night, to those behaviors, and using the power of one might have changed the outcome, not only for him and for the young men who almost died, but for his whole organization.
Hazing. Bullying. Going along with the crowd. Whether it be standing up for what you believe in or not going along with something that you know is wrong, the power of one can have an impact.
The power of one isn’t always positive. Think of all the people in history who used the power of one to further a negative end. From the bully in elementary school to the ‘mean girls’ in high school to the dictatorial boss to an abusive spouse to a terrorist like Osama Bin Laden on the other side of the world – the power of one can have far-reaching and long-lasting implications when it is used negatively. If only those people could channel their power in a more positive direction.
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. – Mohandas Gandhi
Lessons on the power of one remind me of the song ‘Man in the Mirror’ by Michael Jackson. If you want make the world a better place just look at yourself and make some – change.
The power of one person.
