AS WE CHEER/LAUGH/CRY TOGETHER

There are certain actions, particular habits, that humans all seem to be bound by (I'd use the expression 'universal', except that annoys me immensely - we are so humancentric).


We all smile when we are pleased - we all cry, unless trained otherwise (sorry, American males) - we laugh, giggle and even sometimes squeal like a pig.

But why do we all... well, push together?

Let me use an example.

I am not a huge sports fan anymore. There is a quote from a favorite book of mine by Haven Kimmel, which of course at this moment I cannot locate, so I will poorly paraphrase it; all sports involve a passionate desire for the location of a ball.

I do not have this desire.

I like basketball, but my husband flatly refuses to watch any semi-important game with, because I root for whoever has the ball at that particular instant.

I am alway for the offense - which drives any true sports fanatic totally insane... at least for half of the time.

But when there is that one moment - last quarter, final seconds, that one last agonizing throw/shot/put/whatever that hangs in the air for that unbearable extended second...


And everyone, even pathetic non-competitive people like me, holds their breath, and somehow...

connect in some cosmic, universal (there, I said it anyway) way.

Outside of sports - think about the last time you held your breath about something happening to someone else - maybe when they froze up trying to speak in public - a little child tripped and fell - a motor was trying to turn over....

And suddenly you were mentally trying to help them - help them up - push that gas pedal just a little bit more...



I am not making a good argument for this outside of sports, I can see, but I can't just leave it alone, either.

Partially because I'm not certain where it comes from.

Is it actually a spiritual unity, coming from the brotherhood of mankind? Is it karma? Some sort of psychic energy?

Or perhaps something we do bring with us from our pre-mortal existence with God?

Any thoughts? Or perhaps a paper someone much more articulate than me has already published?

Please?