HARMONY, THE DOLPHIN AND OTHER CRAZY IDEAS
Harmony is a word that I wish I could hear a little more about. Excuse the pun. Harmony is a word, of course, that has its roots in music. Chords and notes that seem to go together often have a progression that seems to be made to be a part of the same tapestry. We usually notice something musically by its lack of harmony versus the tell-take signs of “that sounds wrong or bad.”
Workplaces that have harmony in them are also noticeable. When a team is working for the common good of the operation, it is clear they are in some form of harmony, often beyond teamwork. They want to make the experience of being with them seamless and enjoyable—something we all should or do seek.
While music is one place where the obvious connection is made, harmony is an underrated and underutilized noun in both language and practical application. I think this is because we know that when someone or something is living or working in harmony, something much more powerful is going on than teamwork, cooperation, and collaboration. When something is harmonized, it doesn’t seem like it’s merely together; it is palpable. There is something right about it. Correct, like a well-blended smoothie, it is something in itself. Dolphins were in this headline for a reason. They seem to be in harmony with each other in their community, known as pods. They swim together, and it always seems like they rehearsed their movements, even when random. Now that’s harmony.
They talk to each other, each with a different voice, but the pod has its own voice. Its own harmony. When a pod member is sick, others help try to make the one with the illness recover. Now that’s harmony. There do not seem to be outsiders in the pod. That’s harmony. And they collaborate well with humans, even when we are not always their best friends. That’s harmony without a grudge.
Dolphins are known to be fun-loving creatures that are very intelligent. They don’t seem to use their intelligence against others in the pod. That’s harmony.
In the Christian tradition, as the dolphin was and is considered friendly towards man, it became a symbol of love and tenderness as early as the 2nd Century. There is so much to like about dolphins: they are swift, joyful, compassionate, intelligent, generous, and protective. There are other reasons that they are viewed as powerful but harmonious creatures in Native American tradition, and, despite seemingly always being joyful, they are assumed to be wise because of their caring behavior.
So, why do I have to look at another intelligent but not human creature to find a bastion of harmony in behavior that seems dialed in? Certainly, dolphins are not as advanced as humans, but are we more advanced when we seem to be more content separating ourselves from each other and have difficulty having dialog with each other, let alone living harmoniously together? This is something to ponder.
Perhaps harmony should be a bigger goal in our everyday lives. We should not just tolerate another person’s behavior but actively try to ” get along” better with our fellow humans. Harmony seems an unattainable goal in many regards, yet unless sometimes sets out to try and make it happen, others will never see the goal; let alone attain it.
Harmony may be out there on a hope-filled scale, right at the end of it, way past indifference, dialog, conversation, agreement or teamwork. It is the orchestra which like each other as well as the music they are playing. The family which jokes and laughs over the supper table. The team that is still friends when the loser. The lover who still loves the one who rejected them.
Just like the dolphin that turns its tail when it needs to change direction, we need to see that any direction may be the road that should be taken. Regardless of the humble pie that needs to be eaten, the apologies or the forgiveness required.
Harmony, after all, is worth fighting for. And the most splendid harmony is with ourselves, God, and each other.
Image and Reflection Copyright 2024, Michael J. Cunningham OFS