What’s a group of humans called?

The answer depends on the type of group you want to refer to. Groups of families can be called a clan and several clans form a tribe. A large number of people gathered in a disorganized way is a crowd. A mob is a violent crowd. A gang is an organized group of criminals. And then you have community, my focus for this blog post.

Goals were met and some were not. Relationships sailed and some sank. Lives were gained and some were lost. Dreams came true and some are still pending. It has been a long time coming but it is finally here. The last blog post for 2022. Yay!

Without further ado, let us dive into the community concept.

The general definition I got off the internet is; a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. It is a pretty straightforward definition. In our case, the common characteristic we have is that we are both humans (though I feel my spider senses kicking in from time to time). However, I prefer to merge this with the definition I got from ecology. It says a community is a group of interdependent plants or animals growing or living together in natural conditions or occupying a specified habitat.

For this blog post, we are plants or animals, so which plant or animal would you like to be? I’ll settle with plant for myself. Jasmine to be precise. Do you remember Mufasa from Lion King? Let me take you back to the tete-a-tete with his son, Simba.

Mufasa: Everything you see exists in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.

Little Simba: But, Dad, don’t we eat the antelope?

Mufasa: “Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great circle of life.

Mufasa is still my favorite character in Lion king and I still think they killed him too soon. Back to the community.

Everything we have had to witness in this generation has lured many into the cave of me, myself, I, and my space. On one hand, it looks like, “I don’t want trouble, and relating with other people brings trouble in the long run so let me stay on my own.”. On the other hand, it looks like “Hurt is all that comes from allowing people to get close so I shall stay in my cocoon forever.”

I heard some people have tagged it with names like water signs, fire benders, earth breakers, you name it. I just have one question, is it you speaking, or is it your trauma, fear, uncertainty, or unbelief? If it is you speaking, cast your mind to; Galatians 6:2- Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the laws of Christ.

I believe that to bear someone’s burden, you have to first know that the burden exists. How would you know without relating with the person? It goes both ways, how will people know your needs if you do not allow them to come close enough to find out? Now before you tell me how you are self-sufficient and don’t need anyone, remember Mufasa’s words, “we are all connected in the great circle of life”. If that is not enough, add the wise words of King Solomon, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor: if either of them falls, one can help the other up”– Ecclesiastes 4:9. If that is still not enough, then go on your knees, you need prayers.

People will hurt you, and humans can act beastly at times. Having had my personal bad experiences, I still stand by the truth that people need people. There is a Zambian Proverb that goes; when you run alone, you run fast. When you run together you run far. You could have brilliant ideas but you cannot carry them out on your own, you need people. Without counsel, plans fail, but with many advisers, they succeed- Proverbs 15:22.

Most times, we find it difficult to move on from a past relationship because we entered into it with the thought that it must end well. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying you should be a pessimist. By all means, be optimistic. Just make sure you do not forget the facts, and one major fact is that the only constant thing in life is change. People will lose interest in what they once called their dream job or favorite anything including people. They are simply being human just like you so why are you holding on to what does not exist anymore instead of moving on? For clarification, I am talking about friendships and business ships, not marriage. I shall speak on marriage when I get married so anticipate!

The community concept is just to remind you that one way or another, we are intertwined in this life. Alone, but you still need the woman in the market to sell things to you. Your space, but a warrant can allow people to invade that space in seconds (Nigerian Police don’t even need a warrant. Sad.). My point is, you can never be truly isolated unless you are critically ill or in a coffin (surely not your portion). So why miss out on a fulfilling growth journey by sleeping in self-induced (deceptive) isolation?

For those whose trauma, fear, uncertainty, and unbelief are speaking, the first thing you need to do is heal so you do not bleed on those who did not hurt you. Life has taught me that time does not heal. It is what you do within that time that heals. Growth is intentional, if you want to heal then you have to do things that lead to healing. For instance, recognizing that you have a problem rather than glorifying it with fire and water nation names, then seek professional help. It is not easy at all, it took years for me to get comfortable hugging people that were not my immediate family. But here I am today, a certified hugger. Sounds small but it is a big milestone for me. So yes, it is not easy and people heal at different paces, some weeks, months even years. Just take it one day at a time, and remind yourself that you are part of a community.

Just imagine a world where people considered other people’s feelings before taking an action or uttering a word. Sounds like a long shot? Okay, bring it closer, imagine a country…still too far? How about a local government area? Alright, an estate then? Street? How about you just start where you are? We can create that community in our little spaces. Remember this as you step into the new year, we are all connected one way or another, I hope you will be available to pick up that call when someone needs you. I also hope you keep the line working by calling on each other from time to time. This way, you do not have to bring out a toolbox and spend time fixing the line when the phone rings after being down for too long.

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. -John 15:12

Thank you for following my blog throughout the year. Your likes, shares, and comments motivate me to be as consistent as I can. I wish you an amazing 2023 ahead. Keep soaring!

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