Together, often by unanimous vote, the council has worked

Hear the words of Laura Miller: “Together, often by unanimous vote, the council has worked quickly to get positive results.” In this utterance shines a truth as old as civilization itself: that unity among many hands and voices can achieve what no solitary will may command. The wisdom here is not of one ruler’s decree, but of the harmony of many, joined by shared purpose, bound by a higher calling than self.

The ancients knew this well. In the city of Athens, the council of five hundred gathered not to glorify themselves, but to deliberate for the good of the polis. When they achieved unanimous vote, it was as though the gods themselves had spoken with one voice. Such unity, rare and precious, allowed the city to rise beyond the weakness of division and to secure victories in war, in trade, and in philosophy. Thus Miller’s words remind us that when human beings cast aside pride and join hands, they create not chaos, but order; not weakness, but positive results.

Consider, too, the story of the Continental Congress of 1776. Thirteen colonies, diverse and divided, found strength only when they chose to speak as one. The unanimous vote for independence became a thunderclap across the ages. Had they faltered, had they splintered into jealous factions, the light of liberty might never have been kindled. But through unity, they gave birth to a nation. In this story we see the living embodiment of Miller’s teaching: that togetherness yields not only speed, but enduring triumph.

Her words also warn us against the poison of discord. Where councils bicker and cling to self-interest, paralysis sets in. Nothing moves, nothing grows. But when men and women align their vision, when they remember the common good, the river of progress flows swiftly. Miller exalts that spirit of fellowship where egos dissolve and collective strength rises.

So let the generations to come remember this: the might of a council lies not in the number of its members, but in the purity of its unity. The positive results of their labor will echo into history, just as the decisions of ancient assemblies, great and small, shaped the destinies of nations. To vote together is more than politics—it is an act of faith in one another, a covenant that binds the present to the future.