Following up on my last FCL post, let’s examine one of the 3 Ps—PEOPLE—this time around.
Energy practitioners believe the fifth energy chakra—the Throat chakra—connects to a clear voice; integrity of the message. It is associated with the sense of hearing. To have a clear and authentic message, we need to hear what the other person, group, and ideologues say. That requires acts of listening, not commissions of me-centered statements.
(Community as a Safe Place to Land)
We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community. Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.
(Attributed to Cesar Chavez)
The above quotes share a basic concept of community and community building: Recognizing and respecting the other people in the room. Of course, in turn, the others need to see and hear you. A community replaces the discordant self-centered cacophony with the positive energy of recognition and listening.
We replace my with ours, me with us.
That does not mean our needs should be ignored or belittled. It does mean that our needs are part of broader community dialogue. Just because something is convenient or best for us does not make it in the community’s interest.
Maya Angelou reminded us, “We are not our brother’s keeper; we are our brother, and we are our sister. We must look past complexion and see community.”
And we need to judge ideological positions on whether they are rational, fact-based, and community-minded. That would take, however, questioning not just the other ideology but also our dogmas.
A functioning community provides a safe place for its members to explore, learn, fail, and grow. That requires the community members to make room for aspirations beyond their own (self-centered?) biases.
Bonus: Enjoy these short podcast clips featuring community advocates and their views about the core values that help build a community that recognizes the worth of each member.
[Previously posted on The Growth and Resilience Network® September 26, 2021. ]
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I invested 33-fulfilling years of my life as a classroom teacher. Starting with 7th-grade students and ending with college students. Along the way, I have written thirteen (published) books, written and recorded two music CDs, have written an upbeat blog since May of 2010, produced a monthly podcast channel (for five years), and created original videos for my YouTube channel (for more than a decade). I have had the pleasure and honor to deliver keynote talks and workshop facilitations in every region of the United States. I recently completed the manuscript for my first novel and am currently seeking representation for that work.
One of my community service activities sees me working with the Baptist Medical Center Beaches Pet Therapy Program. This worthwhile service brings smiles and comfort to staff, patients, and family members.
Why do I do what I do? Conversation (true dialogue) has become a lost art. Collective monologues have taken center stage. Authentic questions about the person in front of us have given way to either diatribes or inarticulate silence. I believe to build community we must have meaningful, at times difficult, and yet respectful conversations about people, places, and purpose. Before we can do that, we must see the person in front of us.
