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Community Inspirational Quotes

by Steve M Nash
(Brockholes, W Yorskhire, UK)


Weekly Wonder Online: 37


Kurt Vonnegut wonders...

"What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured."

More Free Community Inspirational Quotes...
"There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no community without vulnerability; there can be no peace, and ultimately no life, without community."
-- M Scott Peck

"A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm."
-- Henrik Ibsen

"It is vain to talk of the interest of the community, without understanding what is the interest of the individual."
-- Jeremy Bentham

"In every community there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart there is the power to do it."
-- Marianne Williamson


What I Wonder...


Listen to my thoughts about these community inspirational quotes in the video below. You'll also discover a bit more about a favourite place of mine in Yorkshire (England!) - this time the video location is a noisy Brockholes!...




(NOTE: any captions you see in the video above where written by self-deprecating me - just in case that's not obvious! I know - self-deprecation: nasty habit!)

I discuss quite a few ideas about community in the video above (though I don't mention loneliness!). Ideas that came to my mind in those few moments of recording my thoughts. Truth is, though, that:

A) I've long recognised the importance of community (another word could be 'society') in just how people get along with each other and accept responsibility for their actions, and

B) I've actively avoided doing anything about becoming a part of any community I've found myself.

The hermit juices flow strong in this one, it seems!

So I think it's great that my local community (Brockholes in West Yorkshire) have decided to use the power of social media online (e.g. Facebook, and to a lesser extent YouTube) to galvanise themselves into action - to take local action, and help make the place better for young and old alike.

Because when you take responsibility for how things are - in your community, or in your personal relationships for example - then you become bothered, and you become accountable, and others start to follow your lead.

It is always easy to criticise from afar - "why is there so much litter on the streets?" - but much harder to do something about it.

But when you do something about it - when *I* do - we all benefit.

So my personal challenge here is to peek out of my hermit shell a little more often, and just get involved.

And I urge you to do the same - whether a fellow hermit, or someone 'busy with life' in other ways...


A healthy community is important.

I'm not sure anyone would disagree with this. Even UK ex-prime minister Margaret Thatcher, famous for declaring that there's no such thing as society, I'm sure even she can now see the non-wisdom of those sentiments.

Human beings are communal in nature.

It goes against our grain to separate ourselves from others, to abdicate our responsibilities.

Doesn't it... Steve?

Recommended Reading
Now it just so happens that several of the authors listed above have written books that I think you should check out. Of course, we all have different tastes and requirements - and these authors are not writing about community, by the way, but about life as they see it - but all I ask that you do is look at Amazon and read the blurb and some of the reviews. You might find something that touches you.

Okay:

Okay, so now it's your turn to comment, your turn to share.

Whether you want to talk about these community inspirational quotes - the importance of community to you - or you'd like to talk about the authors I list above (or your favourite authors - these are some of my favourite self help books, by the way!) - then I'm all ears...

What YOU wonder?...

Yes, I'd love to hear your wisdom, and insights regarding any of the inspirational quotations about community shared here (or the other stuff)... You can leave comments below! :-)

Thanks for reading,
Steve

PS Now please comment, please have your say - thank you!

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Apr 11, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		From shots, to the nursing home and on to freedom in prison
by: Sandra

"It is vain to talk of the interest of the community, without understanding what is in the interest of the individual."
Jeremy Bentham

I think Jeremy describes it so eloquently. I really like to stay positive but I see many young people who are aimless and have no concept of "self".

I once worked with the delinquency population and a question I posed to many delinquent youth had to deal with "life". What about your life? some of the things you are doing, aside from hurting others, may shorten your life?

The response by every single one I asked was: Who cares about tomorrow? I just want what I want today.

In this locale many young people are in "nursing homes" as teens because in their pursuit of "making money" from selling drugs, they were shot and are paralyzed. And some see this as a badge of honor.

So many youth led astray.

And then I've seen some prisoners in the correctional system finally settling down and expressing themselves through the arts, writing, higher education and finding their calling. Finally set "free" behind bars.

There is a great movie about prisoners who take up vipassana meditation. Check it out if you haven't seen it. The power of stillness and self reflection found once behind bars. www.dhammabrothers.com/Prison.htm

For anyone reading, if you have a calling and the energy to help one youngster, don't turn your back. We need a healthy world wide community.

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