Today, I am thankful for those awe-inspiring lessons we learn from sharing.
Humans are undoubtedly social beings, but, as a species, we are also fiercely independent. We have a proclivity towards autonomy and self-reliance. Fortunately, our parents are close by at an early age to remind us that sharing is a virtuous act. On the day we enter this world, we are immediately shown to share our love for one another; we demonstrate the wonder of human touch through a soft caress, a cradling hug, or an endearing kiss. As we become toddlers, we learn, often much to our dismay, to share our toys with our siblings, our playdates, and our daycare friends. As young children, we are reminded to share everything from our lunch snacks to the confines of the sandbox at the playground. As we enter kindergarten, we are instructed by our teachers to share our words, thoughts, and emotions in a constructive fashion. As we grow older, sharing becomes more natural and we begin to appreciate its valor a bit more. We begin to share our lives with our closest friends, our significant others, and our work allies. In our teenager years, we revel at sharing the keys to the family car, the class notes to a skipped Algebra class, silly Facebook memes, and the occasional Uber ride with an absolute stranger. When we become mid adults, we share our discarded clothes with the Salvation Army, the fitness equipment at the gym, and even our earnings with the IRS. Sadly, in midlife, we share grief with others following the passing of our own parents and friends. Finally, as we become frail ourselves and our life-long companions die, we often share in the loneliness with the few that might remain behind.
In fact, the only thing we try desperately not to share is our germs. Nevertheless, we often fail, despite repeated instructions on the proper technique of handwashing, mask-wearing, and social distancing.
I’d like to share a historical anecdote story that exemplifies the power that might arise from sharing . After World War II came to a close, the United Nations was established to share global peace and serenity. Unfortunately, the philosophical differences between democracy and communism led to a rift between the 2 major superpowers, as the Cold War escalated the acrimony and distrust between the United States and the Soviet Union. As tensions rose, the US joined the Space Race against the Soviet Union to become the first in extraterrestrial exploration. Although the Soviet Union would be the first to put a human in orbit, the US would achieve the elusive goal of performing the first Moonwalk. Eventually, as the Cold War subsided, our once-disparate space programs began to coalesce on a singular vision: the creation of an International Space Station (ISS). Progressive talks between the two governments, including our nations’ space departments (NASA and then Russian Federal Space Agency [Roscosmos]), led to an agreed-upon multi-phase project espousing to the creation and maintenance of the ISS. Phase One of the project was designed to enhance mutual learning between the two programs, using the existing Russian Space Station, Mir, as a testing ground. During a 5-year period between 1993 and 1998, US Space Shuttles would visit Mir on 11 occasions. On this day (June 29) in 1995, the Atlantis Space Shuttle successfully docked for the first time with Mir. Our Space Shuttles would carry Russian cosmonauts to and from the station, and Soyuz Spacecraft would do the same with American astronauts. Seven US astronauts would share time on Mir with their cosmonaut counterparts for prolonged periods of time; these ‘increments’ would amount to more than 1000 days. As they shared work responsibilities, meals, and social time together, the men and women in space also prepared for the assembly, outfitting, and launch of the ISS, which began in 1998. Today, the completed ISS continues to serve as a paragon for collaboration, exploration, and scientific discovery between our two nation states. Even as the strained relations between the US and Russia give us some level of unease, the joint program of the ISS serves as a beacon of hope. Recently, both countries have committed to support the ISS for at least another decade, at least until 2030.
Today’s 25th anniversary of the first connection US and Russian spacecrafts is a testimony to the foresight and vision of bringing disparate nations together and sharing ideas. Good things can indeed emanate from the kindhearted gesture of sharing. Although it is easier to do so with the ones you love, sometimes doing so with those you trust less reaps more significant rewards.
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