No one knows how to make a pencil, though millions contribute

A recurring theme in China is making life better for the people, whether that means helping to improve incomes or ensuring that basics - healthcare, food, shelter, security - are available to all.

It should go without saying that this is the whole purpose of government. When one person rises a little higher, everyone else rises too, reaping the benefits of each individual's redoubled contribution to the whole.

The message resonates with me because I was taught from a young age that all people have value, regardless of their station in life. All contribute to the fabric of society in some way, interwoven with one another in a vast network.