Watching, in person, my grandson’s 4th grade basketball team play, and watching on TV the University of Wisconsin basketball team play today, my inner brain became aware of the importance of team work. Clearly the UW team had better team work than the 4th grade basketball team. However, the 4th grade team played together better than some community organization and groups work together.

On the way to the game my wife and I were listening to a brain writer and researcher talk about how we often place our individual selves and individual family members over the larger community. His example was how some families would not think much of spending a few hundred dollars of their child’s birthday party but would hesitate to spend that same amount of money on vaccinations for poor children, even if it meant they would be saving 20 lives.

A year ago I heard a local historian talk about how he was glad to pay more taxes for worthwhile community projects like park improvements or more effective transportation systems. However many people protest any tax increases even though it would benefit the common good. Someone told this person he would rather spend the money of an extra tax, even it was for the common good and health of the community, on his individual lawn care.

This brings us back to team work or working together. The slogan for Growing Power is “Working Together we are growing power.” If fourth grade and college basketball players can learn this lesson of the benefits of team work, why not community groups and taxpayers?

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