Community

In an individualistic world like ours, it may be difficult to develop a feeling of belonging; however, we are not that far apart from each other. In fact, we belong to countless communities. A community is a group of people related by the place of living or a common characteristic. For example, I belong to the Shefford community, the french community, the Cegep community, my job community, etc. To break the isolation, the trick is simple: active citizenship. An active citizen takes a role in is community. He participates. He has rights, but in exchange he has responsibilities. They can be written in the law or not. I have the right to drive a car, but I have the responsibility to respect the rules of the road. It is an obligation because it is in the law. I have the right to a democratic political system, but I can take the responsibility to vote or not. There is no obligation. An active citizen respects his community obligations and chooses to take responsibilities for the well-being of his community. As a person who is part of communities, I contribute by respecting my obligations: I stop at red lights, I do not steal, I do not hurt anyone, I do not disturb in class, I do not throw my garbage outside, etc. I contribute too by recycling, going to school, working, following the news, or voting. It is not much, but at least I am not a nuisance. I participate to my community's economy by working and going to school (future well-paid job). By being an active citizen, people develop a feeling of belonging for their communities. They can then feel a part of something.