A question has been touring my brain for the past month or so: What is a community?
Someone once told me that the best definition of community is "where people keep showing up." That is a little too poetic, perhaps, but it fits the way we use the term to slot people into generic categories: the scientific community, the religious community, the online gaming community. We like to refer to our neighborhoods as communities as well.
But geographic locations and shared interests aren't the only ways to define a community. A community can also be based on the relationships its members have with each other. It can be defined as a network of mutual respect, trust and understanding among people who share a set of values and have a common purpose.
What binds people together in this type of community is active participation in each other's lives -- looking out for one another, celebrating joys together, providing support in times of crisis, growing together, working toward common goals. In relationship-based communities, belonging is earned and maintained through connection, not just membership.
You have probably figured out that I'm thinking about Women's Connection. We have all lived full and interesting lives -- and we're certainly not done yet! We have families and friends and lots of interests. But in a world fraught with challenges, many of you are saying that you long for even greater connection. You want to be an active participant in a community of strong, compassionate and empowered women who make a real difference in each other's lives and in the world around them.
The Board of Directors and I will be headed to Chicago next week for a two-day strategic planning meeting, and this is the main topic on our agenda. What can we do to ensure that all members of our community have opportunities to form the types of connections they need to live happier and healthier lives?
Your perspectives and insights will be invaluable to us as we flesh out plans and experiment with new offerings. Please look for a survey that will be coming to you by email later this month.
Meanwhile, I encourage you to take a look at your chapter's calendar and jump into as many events as you can -- or better yet, volunteer to help host one! There's no better time to get involved, meet new women, and reconnect with old friends. Don't wait -- get out there and make it happen! It will be one of the best choices you have ever made.
I can't think of anything more beautiful than the easy familiarity with which Women's Connection members lean on each other, play with each other, and lift each other up. Thank you from my heart for everything you do to make our community of women a truly special place to belong.
With appreciation and respect,
Darla
Darla Hastings
Executive Director