I took a walk around downtown Tampa Friday afternoon. I didn't run into any friends and I had lunch alone, but I've increasingly felt a deepening connection to this (relatively) small city lately.
I know it has something to do with not just recognizing the faces of my frequent library patrons, from the well-off to the homeless, but also knowing their names and learning a little more about them each time I come to work.
My definition of community is always maintaining a sense of togetherness, not just getting together to enjoy the easy times or to weather the tragedies.
I think it's that sense of continued connection that helps prevent the ugliest human re/actions, and keeps us neighbors/strangers looking after one another.
Still, those terrible things do happen: Wars rage on overseas and within individuals. Is there a way to stop any of the violence without making more violence? Who of us is going to try?
No. If you have people you will have violence. You can't stop another person from doing anything you can only concentratre on your own behaviour. Sad to say...human nature.
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