"We're all in this together" so don't stuggle alone in silence.

When the pandemic began three years ago, we often heard national leaders say: “We’re all in this together.” Although that message became cliché and synonymous with talk of the dreaded virus, it is a good message. Every day, whether we like it or not, all eight billion of us on planet earth are in this life together.

The question is: Do we always live like that?

Our world idolizes people who seem like they can do it all on their own.

Our society worships the idea of being self-made – climbing to the top of the ladder on your own, receiving all the credit and taking little blame for mistakes made along the way. Taking all the blows and walking on without any help is what many view as being a success.

Where in the world did we come up with such an idea?

I’m a young buck with more to learn than I’ll ever know, but so far, I’ve realized that we’re not made to go through this life on our own. We are not made to bear all of life’s burdens by ourselves, and thinking so would be a fool’s errand. Rather, we are made to help each other along life’s road, and to seek help from a power higher than ourselves, believe it or not.

When I was a teenager, I came to think that achievement was anything we could do single-handedly. Although I wasn’t necessarily an aficionado of Western films, I thought that going through life like John Wayne – rough, tough and never beset by the storms of life – was how we were supposed to live. That way of thinking didn’t get me very far before I found myself on my knees, begging for help from God.

There’s nothing wrong with John Wayne. He was a good man on and off the screen, I believe. But he’s been incorrectly characterized as a one-man band who never struggled or needed a helping hand. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

I’ve not watched him play Davy Crocket in “El Dorado,” one of his greatest Western films, but I know the story of the Alamo. Crockett earned a place in Texas history as a heroic warrior, and rightfully so. But the Alamo wasn’t won by Davy Crockett alone. He had a small but mighty force fighting beside him, and without their help, we’d never hear Texans say, “Remember the Alamo.” John Wayne played the part of a team leader, not a lone gunman.

We’ve all heard people say there’s no “I” in “team,” and we all recognize the fact that we live on a densely populated planet (except for the Panhandle). But are we really considering the fact that we were created to have friends and families not just for fun trips and get-togethers, but to help us grow as people and help each other out?

Too many of us, I believe, have tried to fix everything in our lives instead of asking for help. I was reminded of this Sunday when some friends and I watched the movie “Jesus Revolution,” which I highly recommend, by the way. In the movie, Pastor Chuck Smith is worn down from the weight of involvement in a nationwide revival. His daughter reminds him that he’s not responsible for carrying the load all on his own. It’s not just OK, but vital, to ask for help.

If you feel like you’re struggling with problems in life, whether big or small, call on a friend or loved one for help.

And if you happen to be the friend or loved one who is called upon, it’s your job to give the kind of time, support and love you’d want to receive if you were in a similar situation.

I was raised in a family that modeled this exceptionally well, but sadly, many weren’t.

However, it’s never too late to start making a change. Today can be the day you choose to pursue friendship and establish new relationships with people who’ll love you and point you along the right path in life. And whether you’ve tried church in the past or not, today can be the day you choose to be around a group of people who’ll embrace you and help you lighten your load.

There are eight billion people on planet for a reason. Yes, we’re all in this life together, and that is a beautiful thing.