Consider this quote by Bill Moyer:
“I was one of the poorest white kids in town, but in many respects I was the equal of my friend who was the daughter of the richest man in town. I went to good public schools, had the use of a good public library, played sandlot baseball in a good public park and traveled far on good public roads with good public facilities to a good public university. Because these public goods were there for us, I came to realize the people like the Moyers had been included in the American Deal. ‘We, the People’ included us.”
What our community offers us is incredibly valuable to our own success — both as children and as adults.
Similarly, what we offer our community is equally important. In It’s a Wonderful Life, Jimmy Stewart’s character, George Bailey, feels as if his life has had little meaning. Unable to “escape” his little town of Bedford Falls for the big city of New York, Bailey feels as if he has not been able to have any significant impact on the world. Yet, as the film points out so beautifully, his actions have had a profound impact on his community and the people who live there.
How has your community impacted you and what you are doing for it?
Take five minutes to have your own George Bailey moment. Close your eyes. What does life look like if you aren’t in your community? How are you and it better or worse?Learn more about our relationship to our COMMUNITY.