I pledge allegiance to you

All the talk lately about sitting vs. standing and putting hands over hearts vs. not got me thinking. I thought about how often we show our allegiance to our nation by pledging or singing the anthem. We even pledge our commitment to our employers by signing contracts.

Photo by Steven Depolo

We pledge our allegiance to our gods through prayer and devotion. We ascribe to the mission statements of organizations we join. But when do we pledge our loyalty to each other? When do we pledge to uphold the sanctity of all human life? How do we show our allegiance to the planet that supports us?

I think it's time for a new pledge. 

Here's one I wrote that you can try on for size:

I pledge allegiance
To the human race
Of many nations, cultures, and creeds,
And to the planet earth which sustains it,
One species, undivided,
With kindness and compassion for all.

What do you think? Is it time for a new allegiance?