All I have is a voice
To undo the folded lie,
The romantic lie in the brain
Of the sensual man-in-the-street
And the lie of Authority
Whose buildings grope the sky:
There is no such thing as the State
And no one exists alone;
Hunger allows no choice
To the citizen or the police;
We must love one another or die.
— W.H. Auden, September 1, 1939

Today marks the anniversary of the start of World War II, when Germany invaded Poland and triggered a series of events that would turn the world upside down. We’re still living with the impact of that war, and all other decisions involving war and times of tenuous peace. Humanity will always be imperfect. Knowing this, we must always strive for inner strength and resiliency in our own journey through life.

September means something different to each of us. Foliage and harvest for some of us, back to school, a shift in focus towards the elections. I have my own thoughts on September, but really, it’s just another month further along the path. What we make of it isn’t entirely up to us, but some important part surely is. Decide what to be and go be it.

Deciding is an individual act in a world that lumps us all together into groups. Perpetuate the myths of us versus them, or embrace a more courageous uncertainty of trust and collaboration. Not naively leading the flock over the cliff, but instead finding common ground. in the end, we must love one another or die.