Community

What is community? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word “community” as a noun with three distinct definitions. The first is “A unified body of individuals.” Second is “A state or feeling of caring about and wanting to interact with others in a group.” Third is “Society at large.”

Now the first definition seems straightforward enough. But is it? Individuals who are unified as a group are common. First can be the family. Then possibly the neighborhood. School, work and a myriad of other groups make up the many bodies we belong to throughout our lives. 

But is there unity? What unites us? Blood? Property? Common needs, and shared goals in achieving those needs? What about wants and desires? What to do when conflicting interests threaten the unity of the group? Ways of behaving and interacting in a group can bring out the best, and the worst in all of us. Who’s the leader? Who’s the follower? Who is right? Who is wrong? Why’d they do this? Why didn’t they do that? Why do they talk so much? Why doesn’t anyone listen to me? Why did I get involved? How do I get out? Does anybody really care anymore?

All fair questions. So what are the answers? Let’s take a look at the second definition, “A state or feeling of caring about and wanting to interact with others in a group.” 

Caring! 

Now there’s a word that changes things. When one cares about something, or someone, it changes the way that person feels, thinks and acts. 

So what do we care about? The safety and well being of each other seems to be of paramount importance for most of us. We wish to be safe in our persons, and have our belongings secure. This is a fundamental right of all people, not always understood and respected. Comfort and convenience are also not just mere luxuries for a few of us, but rightly needed by all. Peace and quiet, when it is needed, also seems to be of necessity for all of us. We wish these things for ourselves, and for others too. If we really care.

There are many more things that are needed, and that we care about, yet are often not available to us when we need them. Surely though we can agree that these few things mentioned can act as a starting point in helping us to focus on the needs of others, what they need, and how we can interact with one another in helping to provide those needs to one another. For to seek to provide for others is a basic building block that is essential for any group of people if it is to be successful. If we can’t care for each other in a most basic way, it will be a long uphill struggle to meet many other needs such as food, shelter and medicine, let alone justice and world peace. We will have only two definitions of community, “A unified body of individuals” and “Society at large.” Without caring we have a group of people who make up a society. Without caring we have what we got. A world of people for which many are not cared for, and too few who care.

Let us start somewhere. Let us all agree on a set of simple needs and wants. Let us truly care enough about one another, and want to interact with one another, to help us have these things. A wise person once said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Take that step. I’ll take it too. Together we can all arrive at a destination we can call “community” and truly feel that we belong to that community. And care about it!

It’s doable. It begins with respecting each other’s bodies and possessions. Treat others as you wish to be treated. Providing comfort is not so hard. A kind word, a simple gesture that shows you care about the comfort of another can change a person’s whole day for the better. And yours as well. Try it! Making things more convenient for others is not so hard a task as well. Opening doors, placing things in a easy to get to place, or simply running an errand for someone are all worthy ways that are mutually beneficial. And peace and quiet can be achieved in a simple way too. Talk softly, respect silence and be still at times. This inner peace can be infectious. It can send ripples through the universe and come back to comfort you in a time of need. 

Profound changes are always made up of tiny things. Be one of the tiny things that bring about great change. Let silence be a weapon. Not of destruction, but of love. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Be the community within yourself first and let that be a model of the community you want to be a part of. In this way we can build a healthy happy group of people that will expand into the third definition of community and become “Society at large.” It’s possible. You just have to care and want it enough! And the beauty of it all is that you have already begun by reading this. Because you cared. 

Thank you!