What We Owe Each Other

(Opening — low drums, voices entering one at a time) I carry you. You carry me. I have a little. You have a little. Together— we have enough. (Verse 1) No one builds a house alone, no one walks a road alone, A hand that reaches outward finds another hand of its own. The food upon my table came through another's hands. The roof above my sleeping head was raised by many hands. So what I have is never only mine to claim. Somebody gave before me. Someone will need the same. (Chorus — communal) What I owe you, you owe to me. Not as debt, but reciprocity. When I am strong, I carry you. When you are strong, you carry me. What I owe you, you owe to me. We belong to one another. (Verse 2) The child learns from the elder. The elder learns anew. The farmer feeds the worker. The worker builds for you. The healer needs the builder. The builder needs the grain. The grain needs sun and water. The circle starts again. No one is self-created. No one stands apart. Every life is woven from somebody else's part. (Chorus) What I owe you, you owe to me. Not ownership— reciprocity. When I have more, I give some through. When I have less, I lean on you. What I owe you, you owe to me. We belong to one another. (Bridge — call and response) When you hunger— I bring food. When I hunger— You bring food. When you stumble— I reach down. When I stumble— You reach down. When you teach— I listen. When I teach— You listen. When you need— I give. When I need— You give. (Final section — full ensemble) We are not islands. We are not strangers sharing the same earth. Every road behind us was made by someone. Every road ahead will be walked by someone else. So take what you were given. Add something to it. Pass it onward. (Huge communal chorus) What I owe you, you owe to me. What you give me, I give freely. What I build, you may inherit. What you build, I may inherit. Not because we are identical. Not because we agree. But because— we belong to one another. (Outro — voices and drums gradually simplify) I carry you. You carry me. I feed you. You feed me. I teach you. You teach me. I stand with you. You stand with me. What I owe you, you owe to me. We belong to one another.