As I have thought more about it, it has occurred to me that proactively looking for ways to help each other can be said to be a defining characteristic on some level for any type of true community. Think about it- gang members are known for protecting each other no matter what, military squadrons often grow as close as families as they each do their own part to help everyone survive, and sports teams do the same as they strive to win. They keep their eyes open for ways to help each other succeed.
Of course the other defining factor in all of these cases in common purpose–protection, survival, success, or victory. Now, I am not going to go so far as to say that every community has to have a common purpose in order to be a “real” community. However, I will most certainly affirm that having a shared purpose draws people closer together.
When I working at Likhaya Lemphilo Lensha in Swaziland, Africa, at the end of each day, my housemates and I would cook a meal for ourselves together. Because of our location (far from any grocery store) we ended up doing a lot of our meal-making from scratch. It took hours… every night, literally hours. Other then working, sleeping, and about 90 minutes or so of free time, it was pretty much all we did. Not this may sound tedious and boring to some people but, to me, it was beautiful.
You see, instead of spending our free time simply consuming or paying to be entertained, we created something together. It may have been only food but, then again, what physical thing is really more valuable then that basic need of life? And as we created, we shared life together. We talked, we laughed, we ran out to the garden, we drank tea, we sorted eggs, and we pursued a basic common goal. Working side by side, we grew closer together. We knew each other better. We appreciated each other more. We depended on each other to a greater extent. We were a community.
