n You realise it is wrong to steal in the first place. n You understand the reason for this rule. The peace and harmony needed for community life would be impossible if we did not respect one another’s property.
Achieving moral maturity is a life-long struggle. However, it is worth the effort. It makes it possible for us to enjoy loving, lasting and worthwhile relationships with others.
The Importance of Relationships
John Donne was the Anglican dean of St Paul’s Cathedral in London. One day he heard a church bell tolling for a funeral. Out of curiosity, Donne decided to ask one of the mourners who was being buried that day. Then a thought struck him, and inspired him to write one of the most memorable passages in the English language:
Donne had been powerfully reminded that we are social creatures. We cannot live a truly human life on our own. We need to build relationships with others.
REMEMBER! Relationships are the different ways in which we are connected to one another and involved in each other’s lives.
Relationships can exist between one individual and another, between an individual and a group, or between one group and another. Our lives consist of a whole network of relationships that we often take for granted. Just think about how many people you interact with each day and all the different reasons you have for doing so.
No man is an island, entire of itself… Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. Therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
The Different Kinds of Relationships
We can identify three different levels at which we connect with one another: n The interpersonal level. n The communal level. n The global level.
