Imagine entering a library only to find, much to your utter dismay, a humongous snake, one that must be over 150 feet long! Yikes!!!!

That's what happened to the poor parent volunteer assigned to the library at one of the schools I taught at. I was in the library teaching my class when she opened the door to enter, and what she found was 35 kids, all on the floor, holding onto one another's feet and moving like a snake to the tempo of their leader. That poor volunteer's eyes nearly popped out of her head, to the point that even my students were worried that she might faint!

The lesson of the day was on cooperation, and we were illustrating the concept by forming several small "snakes" of three students each. Their assignment was to work together so that they could move as one. But to further illustrate the point, I had asked the small groups to join up with other small groups, eventually forming the "snake" that the poor parent volunteer walked in on! Believe me, it was a lesson the kids wouldn't soon forget.

Cooperation requires the participation of everyone and no one can be neglected... I learned this lesson that day the hard way: When the lesson was ended and my students had all left the library, I turned off all the lights and locked the door from the outside. Because it is a basement library, once you turn off all the lights, it becomes REALLY DARK inside! Imagine my horror, when, seconds later, a pair of terrified eyes popped up on the inside of the library door window and a pair of fists began frantically banging the glass!

I did a quick mental check, and all of my students were lined up and ready to return to their classroom. Everyone was accounted for... except... the parent volunteer! I had locked her into the library!

Only through cooperation will we truly discover ourselves and learn to fully comprehend the true meaning of unity.

"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family." (Matt 5:9 The Message)

"Stand united, singular in vision, contending for people's trust in the Message, the good news, not flinching or dodging in the slightest before the opposition. Your courage and unity will show them what they're up against: defeat for them, victory for you - and both because of God." (Phil 1:27-28 The Message)

By the way, I sure hope the parent volunteer wasn't scared off for good! Oh. And have you seen my class anywhere? They seem to have "slithered" off . . . Helllpppp!!!

Rob Chaffart