The Student Collective Volume VII Issue I

Story portraits
Natalie Amoedi
What does the phrase “One Body, Many Parts” mean to you, and how do you live it
out in your life or see it in our community?
I think “One Body, Many Parts’’ beautifully encapsulates what it is like to live in community. I
can’t help but think of a physical body when I hear this expression. The body is an incredibly
complex living machine. There are so many crucial organs that
allow it to function properly and each organ contains
unique, differentiated cells. There is a perfect balance
that contributes to an organism capable of
significantly more than any single cell or organ
would otherwise be capable of. If certain
cells or tissues grow out of control, a
deadly cancer can develop and spread.
Similarly, a community contains unique
individuals that all collectively work
together to maintain a balance. This
does not mean that everyone is likeminded
in their pursuits. If the body
was only capable of elevating heart
rate or kidney filtration, it would
never be able to slow those down
either. Both opposing
forces are needed to
maintain homeostasis.
Our community
contains so many diverse
perspectives and life
experiences. Those
aren’t always obvious
when interacting with
someone, but they shape
who that person is and
the choices they will
make in the future. Our
world couldn’t function
if everyone wanted to be
a politician or scientist.
We need diversity and
we need many parts in
order to make up one
body.
The Student Collective 19