community
noun
com·mu·ni·ty kə-ˈmyü-nə-tē
plural communities
1
: a unified body of individuals: such as
a: the people with common interests living in a particular area
broadly : the area itself,
the problems of a large community
b: a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society
a community of retired persons, a monastic community
c: a body of persons of common and especially professional interests scattered through a larger society
the academic community, the scientific community
d: a body of persons or nations having a common history or common social, economic, and political interests
the international community
e: a group linked by a common policy
f: an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (such as species) in a common location
2
a: a social state or condition
The school encourages a sense of community in its students.
b: joint ownership or participation
community of goods
c: common character : likeness
community of interests
d: social activity : fellowship
3
: society at large
the interests of the community
Dear Friend,
After being alone for the first time since being away at camp for the better part of the month, it dawned on me how important this topic really is.
I picked community as this month’s theme because this is a time of the year where I feel like I’m actually a part of one.
In camp we spend all day together, from the moment we wake up and meet at breakfast, til bedtime arrives. There is no shortage of people to talk to, or to ask for help. If you ever need a hug, a partner to play with, or want to have a laugh you’re always able to find someone to be your buddy for that time.
If you spend lots of time alone, this can be quite overwhelming! On the other hand, so many people gathered in one place believing in a common goal is a very refreshing and powerful thing that I’m not sure I’ve experienced outside of camp.
It’s so powerful that, in fact, many of us don’t even comprehend the time passing or consider our “real” lives and responsibilities. It is as though we enter a different world, and come out new (perhaps through a tower…:P).
I sometimes feel as though I’ve just been dreaming for the past few weeks when I get back home.
I’m sure that like many of you, my day-to-day life is quite different. There may be a consistent cast of characters, but people come and go as they please, and not everyone is available when needed. We also don’t spend much time together pursuing a goal bigger than ourselves.
This doesn’t mean that I don’t like my regular life, I do! However, coming home from an environment so different, can bring a new perspective to the things that you might want to change in your life.
Discovering the polarities between these two states has been an interesting journey indeed. I now recognize that I would like more community in my real life. I would love to feel like I have people around me who are working towards the same future, who are fighting for the same goals, who share a vision with me, whether that be short term - or long term.
I also feel like the break from screens and the internet is a much needed change of pace that I would gladly implement into my daily life. I recognize that it’s not as easy when you don’t have a set schedule and activities that fill your day. In camp, we have the luxury of not thinking about what the next step is, it’s always given! I definitely miss that!
Everyday life is a bit more complicated because of all the external and internal expectations about what we should be doing and who we should be.
I believe that being immersed in a community is the biggest reason that we can learn so much through the 10 days we spend together in camp. We all want to connect with each other, that’s why I’m glad that this year we had people from all over the world. This forced us to use the language we have in common as a tool to connect. And what a beautiful aspect of life connection is!
So this month, I hope you consider the concept of community. Who would you like to share your life with and what are the commonalities you would like to grow your future towards?
If you believe in love, art and the restoration of this planet, I know we are already walking this path together, so thank you! Thank you for reading, and therefore being a part of my community, and also thank you for allowing me to be a part of yours!
I'll see you next month, never forget: I love you!
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