“A good captain is not made sailing calm seas.”
-African Proverb
We are all captains, navigating the rough seas of the work we are doing but realizing there are other “captains”- fellow members of this program- embarking on a similar journey makes it less overwhelming.
Meeting with various groups throughout this trip in effort to self-reflect on the work I do in order to learn from those here in Glasgow engaged in interfaith dialogue has been an opening experience and has given me much to discern.
I view this trip to Glasgow a reminder to keep at the work I, along with co-workers, do in continuing to promote interfaith communication and the idea that the police, specifically the NYPD, are there to work with people the people we serve to protect. Of course there is much more that needs to be done, and as the quote says, many more stormy seas will need to be navigated.
However, with the information and stories Glaswegians shared with me including the Strathclyde police working with groups to combat sectarian violence, the Scottish Refugee Council working with the local government, and various religious congregations working together in addition to learning from my fellow program members, I whole-heartedly believe will help me navigate these seas while knowing I am not alone.
Realizing this work I am trying to do cannot be accomplished in solitude, but rather like many of the Glaswegians shared with their success stories is that collaboration is vital and required if any success (with it’s many tangible and non-tangible definitions) can be achieved.
In closing, the quote below emphasizes the importance of collaboration. Although this three year, three-city program comes to a close, I look forward to continuing to engage my fellow program members to continue separately and jointly on our paths in creating understanding through dialogue.
“Our duty, as men and women, is to proceed as if limits to our ability did not exist. We are collaborators in creation.”
-Jeff Thompson
