GOOD MEDICINE

Healthy communities stay fit, like individuals stay fit, not through exercise, but through dialogue.

All communities have commonalities that bind them, but inside the commonalities are groups that set themselves apart. When these groups plan the future together, they promote a healthy environment of mutual investment where all stakeholders have a voice.

If groups within a community are not in dialogue, if they are unaware of what other groups are planning– of their needs, wants, and desires, assumptions are made, which are often false.

False assumptions lead to misconceptions, which lead to misrepresentations, which lead to misunderstandings and unhealthy relationships.

This is true for individuals, communities, countries, and on the world stage.

Planning for a shared future promotes mutual understanding, and allows groups to see each other as fully human, with similar needs, wants and desires.

If history has closed the door of communication between you and a colleague, a neighbor, a friend– knock on that door.

Whether it is across town, or across the hall, maintain open lines of communication. Say what’s on your mind, but listen.  Really listen.

Disagree, without being disagreeable. Work together. Seek compromise.

And if it feels like risk, it’s worth it. 

It will promote a freer, more egalitarian world. 

com·mu·ni·ty– noun, plural –ties
1. a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.
2. a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists (usually prec. by the): the business community.
3. a group of associated nations sharing common interests or a common heritage: the community of Western Europe.
4. an assemblage of interacting populations occupying a given area.
5. joint possession, enjoyment, liability, etc.: community of property.
6. similar character; agreement; identity: community of interests.
7. the community, the public; society: the needs of the community.
—Synonyms 1. Community, hamlet, village, town, city are terms for groups of people living in somewhat close association, and usually under common rules. Community is a general term, and town is often loosely applied. A commonly accepted set of connotations envisages hamlet as a small group, village as a somewhat larger one, town still larger, and city as very large. Size is, however, not the true basis of differentiation, but properly sets off only hamlet. Incorporation, or the absence of it, and the type of government determine the classification of the others. 8. similarity, likeness.

health– noun
1. the general condition of the body or mind with reference to soundness and vigor: good health; poor health.
2. soundness of body or mind; freedom from disease or ailment: to have one’s health; to lose one’s health.
3. a polite or complimentary wish for a person’s health, happiness, etc., esp. as a toast: We drank a health to our guest of honor.
4. vigor; vitality: economic health.
—Synonyms 2. vigor, vitality, strength, fitness, stamina.

well·ness– noun
1. the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, esp. as the result of deliberate effort.
2. an approach to healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases.

To answer the question or to even to explore the question what constitutes a healthy community, one must first distinguish that as individuals we not always a part of just one community; we are part of several. As a young Caucasian male my school, home, workplace they are all separate communities to which I belong. All these different communities have differences in beliefs that affect my individual thoughts and philosophies. As I would imagine a first nation individual might have a similar network of communities that effects their answer to this particular question. Or is a community just a group of people living in a particular area as some definitions express? is there a common thread of beliefs or is it just location that makes a community, because I am sure I have many differences with lots of people in my urban community.