Standing On Shoulders

There is a phrase that has floated around for years...that phrase is "standing on shoulders". I don't think I started to notice the phrase until a couple of years ago, when suddenly, everyone was saying it. It seemed to be everywhere.

In a way, this is an incredibly powerful image. We are standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. We are reaping the benefits of the toil and suffering of so many people whose names we will never know (at least, I'm sure I won't). My life is as good as it is because others had to suffer.

The other reason I like the image is that it reminds me that we are going up. Life is getting better. Through all the struggles. Through all the steps back and public backlash, there is hope. People will be cared for and loved.

I'm starting to wonder who will be standing on my shoulders. What am I doing today that is going to make life easier for some kid (or older person) who will never know my name?

It's my thought that when we get to heaven, we should all meet each other. I want to thank all those people who paved the way for my life to be so good. I also want to tell the story of what I struggled with to those who come after me. For today, my vision of heaven is a place where we share stories and fully understand the connections that hold us together as a common humanity.

What's your vision for heaven?

P.S. I'm putting a video below that uses the image of "standing on shoulders" so beautifully. I have worked with this young woman, and I still feel moved when I hear her story and her vision for the future. God bless her.