What Makes a Group of People a Community?

Since the launching of Kind Rebirth, I have never been so focused on the word community. It’s my new buzz word. We often talk about how our neighborhoods, our schools, workplaces, our religious organizations, and our social circles represent communities, but I started a new ideology in my head. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. Because we simply share a location, or maybe we share an interest in something, does that automatically make us a community? I don’t know if that’s the entire criteria.

Let’s look at something like an apartment building. Dozens of families and individuals live there, probably within very small distances of each other. I’ve lived in those situations. In fact, I’ve lived in a few condominiums and townhouses where we literally share space (well, we shared walls). Even in that close dynamic, we rarely had a conversation. Some days we didn’t even speak to each other…just nod and maybe smile.

How about on your job? That is the epitome of shared space. Employees see each other and interact every day with each other for years and in some extreme cases, don’t even know their names. Isn’t that sad on some level? Despite the types of spaces and circumstances and life’s events we share, we may not even know their names. Apparently, sharing close proximity doesn’t equate to developing relationships, let alone meaningful connections.

So, what makes the difference? How do we change that dynamic? It starts with that word in the first paragraph and title - community. When people begin to recognize that their lives intersect with others in a myriad of ways that extend beyond just sitting next to someone, growth occurs. That growth includes familiarity, participation, communal events and experiences, and just the shear willingness to acknowledge others. It starts right here. And right here is where mindful awareness becomes relevant.

Becoming a more attentive person and more sensitive to the world of people around us leads the charge in noticing the many things we frequently overlook. Some things are easy to see, but as we use our ability to mindfully be present, perceptive, and aware, we start to notice the subtle things in the people which guide our ability to engage with them. That’s community!

Let’s not stop there, though. There’s more to consider. Building a community doesn’t mean we need to start from the beginning or start from scratch. Often, it’s about identifying and strengthening the relationships that already exist. Community is about resource- and opportunity-sharing with those individuals. This is how connection is created and community is sustained.

Don’t be fooled, however. Meaningful community awareness requires trust. It requires consistency and participation. I want others to lean heavily on their personal mindful awareness, but to also recognize that awareness through others. We need each other to flourish. We need opportunities to share our experiences, learn different perspectives and from time to time, those that challenge our assumptions. Personal awareness is invaluable to understanding ourselves, but community awareness allows us to better understand ourselves within the larger community. The greatest impacts are felt more from the ones we build together.

Stay mindful…

Rebirth