Bishop Carroll High School
Wichita, Kansas
Teacher: Angie Etheredge

Connections
by Natalie Hubbell
9th grade

Nicholas Spark had a vision of community: “We are all longing to go home to some place....  Somewhere, there are people to whom we can speak with passion without having the words catch in our throats.... Community means strength that joins our strength to do the work that needs to be done.”  It speaks mainly of belonging to something so deeply that it unites us indefinitely. We unconsciously share a desire to belong to something, and once we become a part of it we identify ourselves by it. We list it with our name and interests among other things that define us. It becomes a part of us. The astounding thing about this is the number of communities we belong to. A person might mention sports teams, clubs, or numerous other obvious communities they belong to, forgetting about their family and friends, a more subtle community that one never officially “signs up” for and yet still have influence over. There is a broad variety, ranging in size and dealing with every aspect of our lives, including world, national, local, family, and hobby communities.

The broadest community that we are all united in is the world community. I think this could almost be defined as the human race as a whole. We all have the same needs and emotions even if on the most primitive level. Communities are vital to our human nature. We learn what it feels like to be needed, and scarier is needing or depending on another.  I think the difference between this and other communities is that we are never called to defend against others, because, besides other humans, who would threaten us? Science Fiction novels portray the rare exception when we as a race are called to fight against aliens or space creatures, or whatever else the author’s mind conceives. In reality, this does not happen. At most, there are outstanding leaders who sacrifice for the good of all and in that way affect the world community, or through technology, such as the Internet.

National communities are dramatically different. After all, we fight wars just to defend our countries. It separates our world community. We definitely identify ourselves in this way, even if not by choice. The color of your skin or characteristics might give away your roots, and even non-racists judge by this. We are especially stereotyped by our nationality. As Americans we are assumed to be overweight, thoughtless, fast-paced, stingy, and immoral - or at least this is the perspective other countries obtain because of how we are depicted. If a racial slur is made, a person will automatically feel offended just because they belong to that community. Our patriotism is proof of this community.

Local communities unite people more on lifestyles. I live in a small town of less than 4,000 people. Walking into the grocery store, one literally knows most the people there on a first name basis. Because I am also in Kansas, this adds “farmer” or “country life” to my identity. It is true that I am around these influences often, but it is added merely for the fact that I live around these people. Friends also inevitably play a role in our lives as part of our local communities. We generally have friends our age, so we share a generation. This is a barrier that sometimes separates us from our parents. We idolize the same athletes or actors and shop in the same clothing stores. A downside may be peer pressure we experience, but I would say for the most part it is justified by the sense of belonging from having friends.

Immediate families are probably what unite us on the most intimate level. Besides the fact that we usually share a last name, we also share our lifestyles down to minute details. This includes what we eat, where we live, the schools we attend, the income bracket we are ranked in, traditions, religions, languages, and an unending list of others. While some of these things undoubtedly vary within families, it is probable we share a large number of them. They surround us so much I think we are almost numbed to their effect on us. Our extended families share more monumental moments in our lives such as weddings, funerals, or holidays. While not necessarily pivotal moments, they deserve recognition. We normally share some basic traits such as ancestors or heritage, but they do not usually know us in our daily lives. I do not think it compares to close family.

Reaching further back in our family line, we think of ancestors, but really do not know them. Our knowledge is limited to what we hear from others. We may know their stories inside and out, but never know the person. Instead we have their legacy for inspiration and motivation. It is our responsibility to carry it on in our families, but we also gain a role model. On a sour note, we may be judged by their actions. This ties back into family, and in several societies you are even judged by the family you belong to.

Then of course, there are communities unique to each person. Mine is the musical world, more specifically piano. What strikes me most is that it is so diverse, and yet maintains being universal. The appeal to the community is the fact that any human person who can hear can comprehend music and feel the emotion being expressed. Music comes in so many different forms, from the instruments it can be played on to the genres it encompasses.

  There are an infinite number of communities out there that provide support systems and a feeling of belonging. They could be as insignificant that they effect three people or large enough to connect everyone. They appear whenever a common interest is shared, whether a hobby, career, or background. I think what it all comes down to is the fact that we strive to belong to something, and community answers that call.

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