Building community

What makes up a community? It generally consists of a group of people who share something in common. It may be a physical location such as a neighborhood, a set of spiritual or religious beliefs, or a workspace. There is a reason for belonging to a community. It provides a means of identifying with something outside yourself. Since we know that human beings are social creatures, it makes sense that they will form bands of people united within a common purpose. Early communities likely banded together for protection from what they perceived as threats to their safety. Such communities still exist but are much larger in nature where they form countries with specific boundaries. Today we tend to think of communities as smaller groups of people that depend on one another to function. Think of the workplace in which individuals contribute their talents to accomplish a set goal. This requires cooperation, communication, and mutual support. Communities adopt such rules and norms so that newcomers know what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. This allows for an efficient means of absorbing new arrivals into the group. Each individual adds to the strength of the community where the whole is equal to the sum of its parts and is greater than any one of them. There also needs to be an element of caring among those within the community to ensure its survival. How do you see yourself as part of a community and what sense of fulfillment does that bring you?

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