“Each of us is a being in himself and a being in society, each of us needs to understand himself and understand others, take care of others and be taken care of himself.” ~Haniel Long
When I moved out of the city to a smaller community, I left my neighbourhood of six years where knew three neighbours. The day I moved to my small town, I met four neighbours, including one who helped carry in boxes, and by the end of the week, I knew the names of everyone on the block. I felt like I was part of a community.
When my father passed away, those same neighbours cleaned my house and stocked my fridge with food. They’ve helped me build a fence, shovel us out in bad snowstorms and assisted with little tasks here and there. I’ve helped out many of those neighbours too, taking care of dogs while they’re away, shovelling snow, cooking meals for families and babysitting or receiving packages for those who are away.
I have also found communities online, making new friends that I connect with daily, I now talk to many of them on the phone, and some I’ve even travelled across two countries to meet.
It feels good to be part of a community. It feels wonderful to know there are others out there who care, someone who is willing to lend a helping hand, people with a whole different set of skills or knowledge who are willing to share at a moment’s notice. And, it feels good to help others and feel like I am adding something positive to another person’s experience. It connects us.
I am so grateful for all the people in the varied communities in my life. Friends, family, neighbours and virtual friendships. It is this connection with others, sharing of stories, resources, knowledge and love that nurtures me in a deeply profound way. Community is what strengthens us and offers great value to our lives.
Community reminds us that we are connected to everyone and everything. Community reminds us that we are more alike than we often realize. Community helps us be the best version of ourselves. Community brings us together and we could use a little more of that.
Thank you for being part of my community.
This is wonderful. I couldn’t agree more!
[...] 10, 2010 by guidedsolutions I wrote this blog about my intention to focus on joy in 2010 and this blog about the importance of community. I thought I’d share some websites that I find to be [...]