We tend to think of culture as something that develops from the group we are part of.
The people we surround ourselves with and identify with.
Our community forms and dictates our culture.
Yet in today’s world, the very idea of community is a culture too.
So many of us are isolated or feel disconnected.
We no longer identify with our race, religion, or ethnic background.
There is no group with which we feel an affinity towards.
Then, if we are fortunate enough, we get involved in something that larger than ourselves.
We meet regularly and begin to feel a part of something more than ourselves.
Suddenly, without realizing it, we are part of a community.
Just by being in a community of any kind, we have a new culture to learn.
This culture helps us to grow and learn.
It causes us to question old beliefs and habits.
It brings us to a new and unfamiliar place inside.
There is a comfort to it, as well as a scary place.
To trust others when we have not trusted others in a long time is risky.
It requires vulnerability.
And that means we could get hurt.
Yet if we stick with it, and stay with the community, it is also an opportunity to grow.
To be more of who we really are.
To learn what true safety is.
To get past our fears and come out the other side more secure and stronger.
The culture of a community is one of inclusiveness.
It is not about competition or gain.
It is about support and growth.
And it is a culture that is becoming more and more pervasive.
~ Sam Liebowitz, The Conscious Consultant
