Community Kindness

Day 56: Community Kindness

“Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.” – Rollo May

What does community mean to you? Does it simply refer to the people within your neighborhood? Does it mean the place in which you live? Do you have a deeper meaning of the word community, such as the people that you can connect with, understand, build intimacy and mutual valuing with?

According to the dictionary, community is a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage or a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists.

Community is many things and can be found in many places with many different types of people. I share community with the people I grew up with, where I live and raise my family, with my extended families and online. I have also created a deeper sense of community with various like minded women through different connections such as children, hobbies and work.

Where do you find a deeper connection? For many it is through their church and family traditions, and for many others it is connecting through common interests such as hobbies or community service. What happens if you feel like you cannot connect, understand or be understood in your community? Can you seek and find a group that serves you and provides a deeper connection and deeper sense of community?

Kindness to Self:

Since community is technically with other people, we can think of building a community that serves us, that nurtures us, that connects us and builds value and mutual understanding. If you feel like you need to change or add to your existing communities in order to feel a deeper connection that feeds your soul and provides mutual valuing, I encourage you to seek it out and make it a regular part of your Self Kindness practice.

Kindness to Others:

Building community is all about connecting with others and having that sense of belonging. It is the coming together of like minded people who support and love one another through both victories and  challenges. Ask yourself if you are getting what you need from your communities and if the answer is no, maybe it’s time for a change. One of my favorite places to connect with other women and feel nurtured and supported in my town is at Bloom Retreat. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, check it out, it might just be what you need.

Kindness to Strangers:

There are endless opportunities to reach out to our larger communities, counties and even our home states  We can connect with others and help strangers through community service. To see what one woman and her volunteers are doing to help her larger community in the state of New Jersey, check out Humanity Refresh Press.

Kindness to Our Planet:

We are all part of the same community, the humankind community. We all share this land, this planet. We are all stakeholders in the health and wellness of our home. Let’s continue to work together and treat this precious community with the utmost kindness. For some tips on creating a healthy planet please visit Global Stewards.

Jennifer Palazzo

Photo Courtesy of FreeImages.com and The Very Kind Space Cadett