"You Raise Me Up" By Reaching Out

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."
Isaac Newton, Letter to Robert Hooke, February 5, 1675

Most of us have seen this more than 300-year old quotation attributed to one of the scientific greats. It is premised on the truism that no man is an island, even in the realm of scientific inquiry and discovery that has its fair share of mavericks through the years. While a scientific breakthrough can be a quantum leap, its maturation is built on myriads of prior incremental strides made by predecessors and contemporaries.

To the extent that the scientific community is but a microcosm of the society at large, the same support system exists in the human sphere. We need a ear to pour our problems into, we need a hand to tide over rough patches in life, and we certainly need somebody to share our glory.

This is especially imperative in an uneven world, both in terms of opportunities and enabling environments. There is the life of excesses in developed countries where amenities are taken for granted. Then there is the antithesis: the life of destitude, of despair, of constant struggle from hand to mouth, of benign neglect by our collective conscience.

Against this backdrop, the episode of the American Idol aired earlier in the week featured a give back to the society's poor where all six finalists were left standing at the end of the show, and Ellen Degeneres challenged her rich friends to donate to a good cause, the HIV devastation unfolding in Africa.

The images, while jarring and poignant as forewarned by Ryan Seacrest, depict a life that we find out-of-this-world, forlorn, and crying out for help: The eyes of the HIV children that show no lustre, the listless bodies of the HIV mothers waiting for the inevitable.

Many artistes also contributed to the show by lending their musical talents, through uplifting lyrics that motivate, that reassure us that all is not lost, that there are those who care, who would like to make a difference, who put others before self.

I'm particularly moved by the performance by Josh Groban, singing "You Raise Me Up" to the chorus accompaniment of the African Children Choir, innocent angels calling attention to the blight and plight of their brethrens.


We ought to be ashamed of ourselves for squabbling over the occasional inconveniences in life that we encounter, for feeling depressed at the slightest rejection, and for feeling betrayed when things do not go our way.

How we have grown so obsessed with our own little lives, when what we take for granted are god-sends on the other side of the world. Let's be grateful for what we already have, and reach out, for once, to others less fortunate than us in more ways than one.

I'm heartened to learned that the donation reached $60 million. But this is just one of the many step required to bring back human decency, to restore the sanctity of life, regardless of where they are on this piece of land we all share, and upon which we depend for our collective destiny.

Here then, once again, is ""You Raise me Up" by Josh Groban, in spirit:

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up… To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up… To more than I can be.
There is no life – no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up… To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up… To more than I can be
(Lyrics taken from www.lyricsmania.com)