So, I have a very skewed idea of what a "community" is and I do believe that it has changed drastically over time. Growing up, I was in a very conservative neighborhood. We all went to the same schools, shopped at the same stores, and went to the same church EVERY Sunday. I felt a strong sense of community and felt like my family and I really belonged there. As I grew up and flapped my own wings, I ended up moving all over the country. Being in the military and then married to a military man, we never lived in the same place longer than 2-3 years. Building that community was hard because just as we got familiar, we left. I learned through doing this long enough, that community doesn't have to be just the people you live around. You can have a long distance community through pen-pals or the internet. With the advancement of technology, the fact that your community doesn't have to be those geographically close to you is the new norm.
My community is people that I have met from all walks of life. Whether it be the mail man from my neighborhood in North Carolina, my favorite server at our regular date night spot in Colorado, or my sons preschool teacher here in Washington. These are my community. These are the people that I have made a difference in my life. Whether we talk anymore or not, they will always be members of my community.
With social media and new ways that are coming up all time to be able to talk to people online, its much easier to keep an online community than even a face to face one. You can talk to them when its convenient with you, only have to share certain information with them, and can be involved at your own pace. To me, virtual communities are much better than physical communities.
No comments:
Post a Comment