Community free essay sample

Community Community, like a bed sheet, is seemingly thin and disposable. In fact, however, it is irreplaceable winter or summer. Community systems envelop us, offering protection and warmth when needed, taking a background position when necessary, and sometimes becoming inevitably annoying. Ten years of my life were lived in a tiny community of one-thousand people ranging from dot.comers to aging hippies to conservative war-veterans. Eclectic. Eccentric. A good sampling of them gathered Sunday mornings at the Mendocino Presbyterian Church, a picturesque sanctuary on the coastal bluffs of Northern California. Ordained to lead this jamboree of personas was my father, Reverend Bill Mangrum. Sunday after Sunday he stood up and taught the ways of God in exchange for their stories, concerns, prayers, insults, and laughter alike. Though I was very young when we arrived, it was not long before the people of the Church grew into my life as well, giving me the same joys and hassles as my paren ts. We will write a custom essay sample on Community or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When roaming the village I knew there was nothing to fear for many of the shop-owners were parishioners as well; I was never far from a friendly face. Nevertheless, in adolescence I wanted rid of this clan of yammering Jesus freaks who shared all too many of their sentiments and life advice with me week after week. Outside of church I had a life of my own, a life I thought un-influenced by the members of this spiritual community. However, as I soon discovered, town was small and the church members too entwined for me to escape their faces or their gossiping. No matter what, neither my actions nor airs could not deceive them. I was familiar; they understood me simply because they had seen my best and worst. In time we moved away. No longer did I have to separate who I wanted to be from the way I felt my previous community forced me to be. Little did I realize, however, how the familiarity they offered would be missed. I have never felt as safe as I did sitting in the pews of our sanc tuary. In that place I was surrounded by people who invested much of their time, energy, and prayers into my family, even, if at times, their investments were uninvited and exhausting. Today though I live even further away, I carry their lessons with me. I no longer ignore or scorn community because I realize how much those who care for us can shape us by always offering a helping hand. I try to support others, even if I donOt completely agree with or understand them. And, because of my community, I am slower to judge and gossip. However difficult life in a tiny community may seem, relationships there are no more adverse or avoidable than they are in the larger world. Thus, like the ever-present bed sheets, community envelops our lives till death do us part. Community free essay sample My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. If that feels sudden, it should, because finding out was certainly sudden for me. My mom: the woman who spends every weekend at the gym, the complete health nut who goes to every food store in the county to find the most cancer-preventive foods, who gets mammograms every year and reads every article on cancer prevention. I found out the night before our group was going to hike the Grand Canyon. After finding out my mom was diagnosed, hiking one of the seven natural wonders of the world at that moment was nothing more to me than climbing into a hole. I wanted to go home; I wanted to be with my family. The feeling of helplessness, one of being hundreds of miles away, isn’t exactly what I was expecting after spending the first half of the trip taking pictures in national parks and going to Disney Land. We will write a custom essay sample on Community or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page That night in the camp grounds, I sat out back behind the rooms. I wasn’t sure how to react to the news. I hadn’t told anyone yet, not my two friends from back home or any of the other 44 kids who I had grown close to over the weeks, which is why I was surprised that, on the night before such an anticipated event, I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. In the midst of my lowest point, two friends had sought me out, one from back home, and one who I had only recently grown close to. They didn’t say anything. They didn’t need to. I had been thinking long and hard about returning home, after phone calls from my tearful younger sister, and after feeling like my being away was letting down my family. One hand and two faces changed all of that. A feeling of belonging, of community, engulfed me. Here, in the middle of nowhere, at a time when I was unsure of everything I did, everything I felt, I was certain I belonged. Here were people who understood why I could n’t help; people who had seen me help others along the way. And they cared. Giving back to others is what a community does. Be it through donation or physical action, communities are held together by common goals, and those usually include helping those in need. An entirely different aspect of community exists as well: that of giving to each other. A community’s sense of purpose is strongest in the face of adversity, in the face of tragedy and suffering. For one summer of my life I was able to experience both these aspects of community, that of giving and that of giving back, and the way it enriched my life is evident in everything I do. I spent the summer of 2006 on a bus with fifty-two kids and staff sponsored by the Jewish youth group United Synagogue Youth. USY sponsors many social action events, and through it I’ve had the opportunity to attend rallies in support of Darfur in Washington, DC, as well as more recently help build homes with Habitat for Humanity in Katrina ravaged New Orleans. The â€Å"USY on Wheels† bus trip, a six and a half week journey across the United States, also included social action events, such as attending drug rehab centers and donating to a shelter all of our remaining food the last day of the trip. As is the case with all communities, the problem itself is only half the battle. True strength in community rests on the manner in which the problem is dealt with, through support and understanding. In my case, I was lucky enough to have a community strong enough to help me. I may have gone home if not for my friends. And I would have been far worse off in dealing with my mo m’s surgery and chemo treatments in the months to come if not for the support given to me by my friends on the bus, my community. My parents taught me to pick my battles. This one I had no say in. And still, at the moment when I was down and most needed support, I had someone there to help me back up. Community is give and take, and the support that was given to me by my friends on this trip I will take with me for the rest of my life. Community free essay sample An azure sea sparkles with sunlight as rolling waves lap at the bronze sand. From my bedroom window, this is the first sight that greets me each morning. The ocean and the beach connect everyone on the peninsula. It is nearly impossible to avoid the shimmering blue expanse if you travel the main road, affectionately known as â€Å"The Ave.† Many of Hull’s businesses rely on the tourism the beach brings in. Even with all the tourists, the â€Å"townies† are an extremely tightly knit community. The expanse of Nantasket Beach runs the town’s length along its eastern side. The beach connects us, and its beauty brings the community together. Beach clean-ups organized by students and adults create unity among all ages. Everyone does their part picking up garbage and removing harmful plants. Popular summer jobs include lifeguarding and working for the highway department, both of which focus on preserving the beach and those who visit. We will write a custom essay sample on Community or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I work at a restaurant that overlooks the beach, and am a surfing instructor. The beach and other tourism business account for half of our town’s employment. Without our beautiful ocean and golden beaches, it would be hard for our businesses to remain profitable. On most days the ocean looks like a jewel shining alongside our tranquil town. There are days, however, when the sky and sea turn a dismal gray. The sea rages and foams as if it were a rabid animal. It assails our shores with driving wind and flood, and threatens to tear apart all our hard work. At these times the sense of community is even more evident. Neighbors share food and supplies, as they would garden tools in the spring. As the primeval power of the sea threatens to disrupt and destroy our town, people band together and become stronger. There is never a time when I leave my house that I do not see at least 15 people I know on a first-name basis. My town is steeped in the tradition of giving back to the community. As a football captain, I followed the footsteps of previous captains by coaching the youth football program. I clearly remember as a child admiring the high school players. As I prepare to embark on my journey to leave Hull, I hope to carry that sense of community. The ideals of sharing, giving back, compassion, and coming together in times of strife will remain with me wherever I travel. Just as the beach connects my town, I know I will find a unique community on your campus. I hope to infuse the valued principles of your college with those that I have found in my hometown.