Some Images of Community

 Images of Community 

Community can be likened to a piece of fabric, uniform in all directions, it illustrates the unity of mankind. Yet  the diversity of peoples displays itself on the cloth in many ways.

If we imagine the intersection of each thread of the warp and the weft as a person, we can relate them as in geographic juxtaposition. By putting dye on the fabric we can show location, using a resist to limit the dye we can show separation. Structures can be created on patches of cloth and attached as appliques. Small groups can be shown via cross-stitch.  And structures often not visible in the small can be illuminated by the expanse of embroidery.   

All this is to point up the fact that today we are enjoined to create community. A community which understands, appreciates, and demonstrates the unity of mankind. We may often think of the unity of though and understanding, knowledge. We may imagine a unity of belief, faith. We can see collections centered around politics, neighborhood, class, and status. We even see the loss of community in fear, poverty, and homelessness.

There are also invisible elements, the spaces, the cracks between structures of community into which many of our members fall, the unlucky, newly jobless, disabled, mentally impaired. Is it not also the job of community building to create structures into which these members can be joined?

Often we think of the family as the responsible unit, what if there is no more family? Other times it may be the government that steps in, but what part of an institution can connect with, love and protect individuals? Is it not the individual members of society who must, individually find their place, their purpose, their contributions? The call to make community is made to all. There is no other way. The response to the call is the significant step. 

Associations of love and unity occur in all shapes and sizes, in all areas of life. We all walk this life alone on the first level, but also in community at the next. Our connection network may be close and small, or wide and vast. It is our choice, our response, but we are all called. We join or defer, we volunteer or work, we lead or follow. We see evil and good. 

Some communities are accidental, natural, some are intentional, constructed. Some are obvious, some nearly out of sight, sublime. The need is for more, for better, for life long connection. Just because a new structure is promulgated does not mean that the old ones can be abandoned. The call for the new structure will be heard by all, but only answered by the few. The rest of us still do have our old tasks to attend to even if we join the new work.

Some community structures may be likened to accompaniment of others through life. This is particularly true of connections with mentally challenged individuals. Their need to belong to community is no less than others, and often more because if their inability to navigate society by themselves. This form of community building, accompanying the mentally disabled, neuro-diverse through life, is just as important as the other forms of community building. It will rarely be one's only service and certainly will not be everyone's choosing. But if the opportunity calls, consider the response.