Community – Joni Beach

Today I have been thinking about how humans share a common dependence. All of us are connected to other people in many ways—at many different levels. In our immediate worlds, we are connected to our family members. Outside of family in our communities, we are connected to the people we know in our schools, churches, at work, around town in the stores, the library, in the medical clinics. Beyond our communities, we have connection with the communities in the rest of the state, or region. Beyond each state, we have connection with all of the states and our country as a whole. Our nation then has connection with the other countries around our borders, as well as all of the countries around the globe.

These connections go from micro-level in a range all the way to a global macro-level. Current events continue to show this link between humans living on this planet we call Earth. For example, the economic woes of one country can impact those of another. Going beyond these human connections, we see our connection to the natural world and the environments we depend on to live. When earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, and other natural disasters occur around the world, we are reminded of our connection with humanity and the shared dependence on our families, communities, regions/states, and countries in times of need.

Why is an awareness of this connection important? Because an awareness that what we do and who we are as individuals, families, communities, regions/states, and countries is linked to other people, may influence us to make those connections as positive and caring as possible, with a focus on promoting well-being and quality of life for everyone.