Since coming to the West, I have found that modern people
long for the fulfilling connections that are available through a healthy community, the
sense of connection and coherence that I have experienced in village life. The cry for
community is everywhere. As Carolyn Shaffer and Kristin Anundsen point out in their
ambitious and detailed book, "Creating Community Anywhere", Americans have
defined themselves in terms of individual freedom: a people breaking away from old,
limiting structures, dogmas, and attitudes and pushing forward to new frontiers. But with
every gain there is a loss. Community is a term that is so familiar to people in the West
and yet so hard to achieve. Constantly on the move from city to city, often separated from
one's family by geographical distance, and commonly losing primary relationships, such as
marriage, to the ravages of separation, Westerners often find themselves relying solely
upon themselves, their distraction of choice, or their therapists to manage the crises of
daily living. Meanwhile, their psyches crave belonging in a community with others, where
they know they will find healing once and for all.
The urge for community in the West is challenged by the tendency to see community as antithetical, and even a threat, to individuality. Many modern people believe that community absorbs the dignity and integrity of the individual and threatens to kill the much-cherished sense of self. The truth is that one doesn't lose one's self as a result of being part of a community. On the contrary, being in community leads to a healthy sense of belonging, greater generosity, better distribution of resources, and a greater awareness of the needs of the self and the other. In community, the needs of the one are the needs of the many. In community, one does not worry excessively about one's intimate relationships because you are not left to confront your problems alone. In such a context, people are not encouraged to be on the run every day, chasing survival. In this way, being part of a strong community strengthens one's individuality by supporting the expression and enjoyment of one's unique gifts and talents.
Individuality, not individualism, is the cornerstone of community. Individuality is synonymous with uniqueness. This means that a person and his or her unique gifts are irreplaceable. The community loves to see all of its members flourish and function at optimum potential. In fact, a community can flourish and survive only when each member flourishes, living in the full potential of her or his purpose. To honor and support its members is in the self-interest of any community.
By Malidoma Patrice Some
From The Healing Wisdom of Africa
Pg 91-92