“I guess we’ll just have to sing it ourselves.”

200 of us stood at the starting line of a local 5k fundraiser. Traditionally, before the air horn signals the start of the race a singer will perform an A Capella version of “The Star Spangled Banner”. But the singer, for whatever reason, was nowhere to be found.

So, with our eyes gazed upon the nearby flag pole, we just sang it ourselves.

It was organic, authentic, and beautiful.

There is something quite moving and unifying when a group of ordinary people stand together and share their collective voices for a common cause. Old voices, young voices, loud voices, soft voices. All voices, expressed individually yet together as one. 

In a seemingly divided world, maybe we’re not as divided as we’re told we are.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash