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What Does Belonging Mean

There is a crisis of loneliness going on in the developed world. For example, in Canada and the USA, reports show that as many of 50% of the population experiences loneliness. Loneliness leads to all kinds of other problems including mental, physical and social problems.

The opposite of loneliness is belonging. But what is belonging?

Research over several decades (e.g. MacMillan & Chavis, 1986 and see an updated version at https://www.drdavidmcmillan.com/sense-of-community/sense-of-community) has concluded there are elements needed to build a “sense of community”: Membership, Influence, Satisfaction of needs, and emotional connection.

But we are not academics in a theoretical world. We are real people living amongst other people. So we asked people, what does it mean to belong.

The answers we got were Trust, Friendly, Caring and Mutual Support.

In our everyday world, we have to feel safe (Trust and Friendly), we have to feel connected (Mutual Caring) and we have to get something out of the relationship ( Mutual … Read the rest

What is a Whole Community?

Recently I had a conversation with a good friend about his experience of raising a special needs person into adulthood. His son has reached the legal age of adulthood and has the mental state of a normal two year old. His goal is to give his son as normal as possible life experience of community, love and acceptance.

As we continued the conversation, he shared how difficult it is to have fellow community members offer to take his son for a walk. This simple gesture would have so much benefit for his son and for the rest of his family. Taking his son for a walk would provide his son with new experiences of the community world while offering respite and acceptance to my friend and his family. It would relieve the burden of being alone in this incredibly important journey.

Yet, our fellow community members often stay aloof from people like my friend. It isn’t that we don’t have … Read the rest

The Power of Community to Create Sustainability

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world.” Margaret Mead

These words have never been truer or more important than today.

The most powerful human force on earth is not big business, nor is it big politicians. It is ordinary people living in ordinary communities that have the real power. Communities of people are the most powerful force on earth.

For example: Facebook is getting a taste of this power as people turn away – Zugerberg’s shares recently fell by 60%.

And the Iranian leadership are getting a taste to the limits of their power as women and men rise up against the morality laws.

And the lawmakers of Michigan experienced the power of community as citizens rose up against the poisoned water they drink and the governments are acting to clean it up.

Even Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China have felt the sting of common people coming together in community … Read the rest

Homelessness, Poverty, and the Environment:

A new way to think about ‘solving big problems’

 

Homelessness, poverty, and the environments are big problems. We’ve had them since the 1970’s. But little has changed since the 70’s. In this article, we’ll expose:

  • 5 Important Facts that point to a new way of solving problems
  • Why what we have been doing will never be the solution
  • The new way to create a world with fewer big problems

Stating the obvious: our big problems are still problems, 50 years later.

In the 1970’s, homelessness was an endemic problem. Today, homelessness is an endemic problem. In the 1970’s, poverty was an endemic problem that our governments promised to eliminate. Today, financial insecurity and poverty is worse than ever. In the 1970’s, environment was a concern, now it is a crisis. The list goes on and the question is why haven’t these problems been solved in spite of best intentions, monies and efforts?

There is an army of well meaning … Read the rest

The Bicycle

Adrienne Wood’s story By Fadila Chater 

First she felt the impact. Then came the pain. Finally she saw blood. Eight-year-old Adrienne Wood was biking down to the Windsor waterfront, eager to join her teammates at the Windsor Canoe Club, when suddenly, she stumbled. The fall took a chunk out of her knee. She knew she needed help. Resilient, like most kids who grew up playing outdoors, she picked her bike up by the handlebars and wheeled it over to the nearest business, the town optometrist.  

“I’m bleeding!” she yelled as she burst through the door.  

Though she vaguely knew Dr. MacDuff or his receptionist, she felt like they would surely take care of her. And they did. They cleaned her up, slapped a Band-Aid on her knee and gave her a hug. 

Less sore from the tumble, Adrienne rode her bike down to Lake Pisiquid, where she spent the rest of the day hanging out with her friends, snacking on … Read the rest