All Alone in the Midst of Many

In the past few years our family has had the opportunity to work through some difficult struggles. As we have faced these hard times I have been made acutely aware of our need for relationship. There have been times that had we not had a core group of intimate friends I would have surely given up. We are so very thankful to and for those friends who helped us stay the course and bring light into our time of darkness.

The next few posts will be from a research paper that I wrote for my composition class last semester. The subject is relationships and how our culture is evolving in a negative direction with in our relationships. I hope that it spurs you thought and deed.

Andy, Barney, Goober, and Howard relax on the front porch after Sunday dinner. Norm and Cliff gather around the bar at Cheers and chat it up with Sam as they have a cold beer. George, Kramer, and Elaine all drop by Jerry’s for a visit. These are all examples of television communities. They are representative of a very important part of American culture that is rapidly becoming extinct. Gone are the days of gathering with neighbors on front porches and unannounced social calls. It seems that post modern culture has exchanged the face to face involvement in each other’s lives for an electronic form of community. But is this really community; does it fulfill innate needs that everyone has? Americans seem to be moving towards a trend of social isolation that not only negatively affects the individual but our society as a whole.
In times of yesteryear it was common to keep a homemade dessert prepared in anticipation of unannounced guests. A lazy afternoon could then be spent catching up on the events and happenings of each other’s lives. Friends and family alike shared in these communities. Personal support networks were developed this way and there was always someone to share in the triumphs and tragedies dealt by life. Celebrating the triumphs and grieving the tragedies people were willing to bare each other’s burdens.
In times past people had someone to turn to when a loved one was dying. There was someone to count on to help sort through tough decisions. Our Grandparents didn’t have far to look to find someone to give them a firm handshake or a pat on the back of congratulations. It was common to check with the neighbor to see if something could be picked up for them on a trip to the store. When disaster struck and a home or a business was lost the community of family, friends, and neighbors came together to help rebuild. Hard times and good times alike were shared, and it made the individual as well as the community stronger and healthier. Human beings were created to be actively involved in relationship. From the genesis of man, the creator said that it was not good for man to live alone and created a partner for him.

To be continued.