Friday, June 4, 2010

Mentoring & networking are the heart of building community

I can't say it often enough. Connecting with folks and building a circles of support - then sharing and overlapping them - is how we get things done, and done with some amount of joy.

It's when we're alone and isolated that there is no movement in our careers and our lives. Consider:
- sending out resumes to strangers vs. calling friends and delving into their circles
- moving to a new neighbourhood and relying only on the phone book to learn about your new environment
- becoming ill and having only the intranet for help

And that's only how it helps you when, everyday, we help each other. A coffee. An idea. A moment to watch a kid while someone slips away to grab a phone call.

Circles do more than get each other ahead. They are comfort. Protection. A chorus that can be heard above the noise of daily crises.

On a global scale - I don't believe a single child could be abused if we had enough community around them. It's in isolation that we all see suffering.

A dark, philosophical moment for a Friday? perhaps. But on a topic that is about building a little joy and breathing room for ourselves. Much much cheer this weekend to you all!

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