We had a wonderful gathering of folks for our Evening of Wellbeing (EOW) on Community at Guilford College. We discussed the reality of complicated aspects to relationship building, leaving our computers more, and the unnecessary dichotomy between the individual and a greater collective. As one of our speakers, Muktha Jost, put it: separating one from the other is like separating the inhale from the exhale. It is not possible.
The EOW series links health with issues that impact all of us. Genuine community helps us live more harmoniously with each other, with all life around us, and within our own bodies.
What we do as individuals affects the whole, just as the greater world that we are a part has a significant impact on our mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical health. We see a link between our country’s high rates of things like suicide, back pain, and depression connected to the expectations of our culture: busy-ness, productivity, and being “plugged-in”.
A community is built through sharing stories, resources, struggles, and working for change all together across lines of perceived difference. We are convinced that community strengthens our health and our health care.
We put it to you: What community are you a part of, and what support does it need to make it stronger?
Community Basics 101:
1. Talk with people face to face. One of the easiest ways to do this is to get outside! Meet your neighbors, walk places, look for clubs/organizations working on issues you’re interested in.
2. Build relationships: There is more to a relationship than celebration, they are also deepened through experiencing conflict and growing together. Ask questions and work to understand the perspective of others.
3. Share resources: Think about consumption. It encourages sustainability of the earth and helps you know people. Why not share the lawnmower with your neighbor and get to know them at the same time?
