Prompt: Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?
I’ve been struggling with this one all day. I really don’t have anything to write about—I don’t feel like I have a community nor do I really want one. I enjoy doing things with other people, but I prefer to hang out with people in a small groups. I enjoy reading articles and blogs about people doing similar things to what I do, but I don’t feel a real need to connect with them on a more intense level. I enjoy chatting with people when I go to my various jobs, and I suppose there’s a sense of community there, but often I feel like an outsider. I’m a 30 something who isn’t married with children. I am not a home owner, and I’ve lived in various different places in my life. I don’t like to play team sports and I don’t enjoy crowds.
Now I’m starting to sound like a sociopath, huh? But the truth is: I just really don’t have a community where I belong. I never really have, though…so I don’t know how that would feel. I’ve spent most of my life without a community. I’ve had strong family connections, and many friends. Maybe that’s the same. Maybe I’m just not using the right word.
Do I want that to change? I don’t know.
Maybe I’ll revisit this topic later.
I think there is a prevailing sense that people without communities are lacking something, but I don’t necessarily agree. I think if small groups are giving you what you want, well… they might just be all the community you need.
Yeah, I don’t know. Today’s prompt just made me feel depressed!
I’m starting to get comfortable with the idea of a community not necessarily needing to be a large group of folks. Sometimes I’m happy if it’s just one or two people. It’s still a community in the end.
I suspect that prompt came from some churchy person- they always love rubbing our noses in their communities…