Someone's Someone

 

Do you believe that a strong sense of their cultural identity is essential for an individuals overall well-being in a community?

Being a part of a community is essential to one’s well being. How they define that community is very fluid and can be based on many things. I personally struggle with the word culture. To me I think of places with history and continuum as having culture. Foods that are known to an area or are shared for generations are culture. Traditions, festivals, and community is culture. In school I was so confused, what is American culture? Cheeseburgers and french fries, Rock and Roll music, materialistic focused holidays that no one knows why they are celebrating or make up their own reasons. Don’t throw me under the fire, I’m legitimately curious as to what others would say.

When I think of the community that is essential for my well being I think of the cultural norms of mother, teacher, participant, helper. I think of the places that are a part of that community and the norms and practices that I do in each that make me a part of that community. Family, work, church, sports, small town, state. I don’t think it matters what your cultural identity is, but I do think it is imperative that you find a community that you connect with and belong. That community could just be one person or it could grow to be the whole nation. Everyone needs to feel that connection with someone.