Bishop Carroll High School
Wichita, Kansas
Teacher: Angie Etheredge

The Binding Factor
by Natalie Englert
9th grade

If no one interacted with each other or found that they had something in common with another, the world quite a boring place. We would be alone with nothing important to do and isolated from the many treasures that can be found when bonding with those who share something with you. This is why we tend to come together in communities, each finding something in common with others. Community is having something in common with others that helps unite you to one another. Sometimes the bonds between everyone are very tight while others are very loose or they are even hostile to each other. If the community is strong enough, then everyone feels like they are one. There are many ways that I feel community including where I live, the people whom I am related to, my close friends, and the fellow Catholics whom I share my faith with.

There are a couple different areas that I feel community from where I am living. These are America, and my local community, Valley Center, Kansas. The national community of America is strong in times of great need. September 11th illustrates this point perfectly. Also, most people have a strong pride in being Americans, and living in a different country is out of the question. Politics are often a subject of discussion, showing that we truly care about how our nation changes throughout time. This is an American weakness. My local community in Valley Center is even more personal. Since we are a small town, everybody knows everybody. Children go to their neighbor’s house to play with the other kids. The park is within walking distance; so many children hang out with each other there. Adults socialize while watching their children. Older citizens are not forgotten either. The youth of the city often help rake their yards or shovel snow from their driveways. Overall, we join together, making our community an exceptionally nice one.

Likewise, my relatives are a great community to be a part of, and to be able to call myself a part of. I have a few different groups I associate certain relatives to.  My nuclear family is the first. My siblings and I argue often, but that is to be expected. If any of us were in real trouble, we would pull together to defend them. My parents are caring and supporting and have taught us a lot about life. They are the glue that keeps my family together. The next group is my extended family. I only see them on holidays, and sometimes not even then. During these times, though, it is always a joyous occasion. My dad has nine brothers and sisters who almost all have children, so there are quite a few of us. We hang out at family gatherings, and a game of football or basketball is always involved among the guys. Finally, my ancestors are in a community with me also. Though I may not think of it often, they are an essential part of my life. Without them, I would not be here. They helped to shape the world that I am living in today. I often hear stories about my ancestors from my grandparents, and I learn very many interesting things that help me understand many of our family traditions. They established numerous things that continue to live on in my life today.

Another, even stronger, community that I am grateful to be in is a community between my close friends and I. Although I love my family with all my heart, sometimes they do not seem to understand me. With my friends, everything is known. They support me when I need them, and I would do the same for them. We have many things in common, but our differences make it even better. I could not live without my best friends who make everything worthwhile. We laugh together and cry together. I know that after high school there is a big chance that we will lose touch and move on, but I will never forget them. They have a great influence on my life. I hear all about resisting peer pressure in different speeches about drugs or alcohol, but not all of it is bad. I choose my friends wisely, and they pressure me to do what is good for me, although it may be hard. The best thing about my friends is that they truly care about me, and therefore tell the truth, even when it hurts. I do not know what I would be if I were not part of my crucial community of friends.

Even more important than any of the previous communities that I am a part of is the Catholic Church. I feel intimately close to those who share my faith. We are one in the body of Christ at every mass through communion-just like community. We are united through Christ. It is not only God’s Church here on earth, but also those who have begun their share in God’s eternal glory in Heaven. Those who have died, the saints, and the angels are included in this community also. They support the Church that is still struggling through the fight here on earth. Without the Church, my life would not be worth living. It would simply have no point to it because my ultimate goal is to do God’s will and reach eternal life with Him.

Overall, my family, friends, faith and location in the world drive me to feel a great sense of community. Each of them guides me in one or more aspects in my life. Communities, the binding factor of all creation, place in us a feeling of belonging and purpose. Without our communities, we would not be the same people we are today.

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