Soon after our Men’s Shed started ten years ago, we decided to have our own polo shirts and sweatshirts. The green shirts with gold ‘Lowestoft Men’s Shed’ showed we all belonged together; our embroidered names showed our individuality.
The ‘named shirt’ became a bit of a joke. We suggested that if the older men, forget who they are they can look down and check; if they get lost when they’re shopping, it’s easier to return them home if they’re named.
Yesterday one gent in the workshop, concentrating on his creation, was talking to himself about the project… Because he had his name on his shirt he knew who he was talking to!
On Saturday I watched the Norwich City game on TV… with men also wearing team shirts, individualised by their names… At half time we were disappointed and frustrated to be 0-2 down.
The team showed more skill determination in the second half, finally winning 3-2. In his post-match interview the manager, Philippe Clement, explained what he’d said to the players: ‘In life you have two choices when things don’t go your way. Be disappointed about yourself, about your team-mates… or you can react and take it as fuel to give more to the fight…’
They could think they were unlucky victims; they chose to take individual responsibility and show collective resilience and determination.
From childhood I’ve been taught that the church is ‘the body of Christ’. A single body, made of many different parts, functions well when all play their part. St Paul says, ‘Those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable…’
This picture for the church I’ve also seen in schools, theatres, sports teams, work places… where people come together, play together, work together.
In a world of individual and isolated consumers, building communities of mutuality and interdependence, where all are valued and valuable givers rather than getters, sometimes seems countercultural…
It’s together that we learn who we are, play our part with resilience and determination, and support each other.
