Unity

Where there is unity there is always victory.

Publilius Syrus

Ah… the elusive word unity. What does it mean and how does it apply to us in a family context. Going back to the definition of the word unity, it is defined as:

The state of being one ; a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.

Dictionary.com

How often have you found yourselves in your home, at odds with one another. Over time, over money, over space, over decisions that are overwhelming, over things that happen that we have no control over. I know we’ve been there and are probably there more often than we realize.

What strikes me about unity, especially in a family context, is once you know you are all on the same side, battling the same thing, it gets a whole lot easier. If we remove battling each other before we even get to the issue, the battle is almost won.

One thing we say in our home, and we are a work in progress like everyone else is, we are on the same side. We try to take the emotion out of the battle and keep the unity as foundational to the issue. When our kids know we are on their side, when they know we are in it together, there is almost a sigh of relief as they navigate the emotion behind the issue, rather than fight against us as parents. Once we remind each other in our marriage that we are on the same side, the personal attacks that sometimes creep in, dissipate and we focus in unity on the issue at hand. Overcoming far more than we could otherwise.

Now don’t get me wrong, there is no perfection in our home when it comes to unity. But… and I emphasise this, it is the goal. It is foundational to us, that we always remember we are on the same side, the same team and in it together. In doing so, we are stronger, work smarter and are a whole lot happier.

If we aim to live in unity think of the victories that could be won…