You touch a deep human hunger and unmet need in this post. Nowadays, people root with great passion for their sports teams and perhaps their favorite politician -- but all these examples are "them vs us." Rooting for another is not only a matter of love but also of joy that you were born and that you are you. It is seeing the wonderfulness in someone, inhaling it and doing your best to encourage and celebrate it. Without this loving "rooting" for the best in ourselves and others, we are inevitably estranged. Bravo for nailing it, Joan.