Judy’s father, in more lighthearted times, had declared his family a “bundle of sticks” — much stronger together than apart. Untied, the sticks scattered.

Remember, a few sticks can start a fire. Don't get burned by your own sticks, and don't let lackadaisical thinking take your bundle of rights in a direction you never intended.

The “bundle of sticks” metaphor is derived from Aesop’s fable of the same name. In the fable, a father laments the bickering and disunity of his sons.

Shows a man standing in a road and resting a large bundle of sticks on his back. He has a large hat which is hanging from his arm. Citation Eugene Berman. Unidentified man carrying a bundle of sticks, ...