"In
every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are
wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it."
- Marianne Williamson
Spiritual teacher, author and lecturer. She has published ten books, including four New York Times #1 bestsellers.
(b. 1952)
You are a talented person.
You have choices to make about your time. You treasure certain things,
and make money, that may be part of your treasure. Considering all that
is true, and, since I am often asked how
I got so involved in our community, this tip is about just that; community.
Community means more than just where you live. And, community
involvement is not limited to being engaged locally where you reside. Similarly
to
my belief that friends are the family you make your own, I believe your
community is what you create, not just what others make.
Being a part of a true
community means being involved. There is not a guideline for what to
do, or how much time and energy "should" be dedicated. Being a
contributing member of your community is up to you and your
level of interest, desire, action and ownership.
There are online
communities. What are you involved in online? Are you contributing?
Are those contributions positive and forward-focused, resolution-based
and not bashing? Did you join a group and never go back?
Consider exiting online communities that no longer interest you. Seek
those that pique your interest now, and will likely last. If/when one
dissipates, then seek others for which you can contribute.
There are community
outreaches, where individuals join others to let people know about an
event, a place, a cause or activity that is taking place to better
someone or something. This is community involvement. If
you have not done a walk, a run, or even volunteered to support a walk
or run for a cause that is important to you, you may just see the road
detours as an inconvenience rather than part of a community experience.
And, then again, there is the
area (immediately) around you. Do you know the people by whom you live
and work? Do you have pride in where you are and what you do? Do you
know what is important to you, those with
who you share time/space? Are you willing to put in time and energy to
ensure those issues, causes or drives stay relevant? Do you buy locally
to support your merchant community?
Being involved in your
community does not just mean using the parks or things that were put in
place by public funds. While that is part of it...choosing a venue that
is local versus far away, requesting farm-to-table
foods be served, it also means thinking about, and
acting on, what you want your future to be...what you want to be the
community in which you spend your time, talent and treasure.