Community: defined as a group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists.
As I watched the tragic events of the last few days the word ‘community’ has been stated so many times. We all belong to various definitions of the word community, don’t we? Probably the strongest community I belong to is this, the diabetes community.
As I watched the people in Newtown, Connecticut come together for strength and consolation of each other I started to think about our diabetes community. What makes us part of this community, what draws us together, is the very same thing that all of us could do without and would love never to have had enter in the first place; but we are here now.
We, probably more than many others, understand the need to come together for support, for answers, for consolation, and yes sometimes even to mourn. We are part of something bigger than us, something that makes us laugh, makes us angry, makes turn to when needed…….we are a community.
I went to various people’s sites today and just read some of the posts. What a variety of emotional posts from happiness at a local bar, to celebrating an anniversary, to the frustrations of what do with a particular diabetes management tool, to frustration at a school; to the pain we are feeling about the tragic events of yesterday; all with many, many comments to support and uphold the person writing the post.
We ARE the diabetes community. In some cases we live many miles away from each; we have different religious, political and other views; we piss each other off from time to time but when needed we are here for each other…….we are dedicated to each other. We are a community.
I so appreciate all of you and I just did not want to wait to tell you. I want to tell you that today. You all mean the world to me and I would be lost without this, a place none of us wanted but are here now to be there for each other……..a community.
I am a diabetesdad
2 replies on “A Community……Our Community…..Comes Together.”
Thankful for you, Tom, and the rest of our community. Never, ever alone!!!
I dont mean this in an arrogant way because I had little part in creating the community that is the DOC, but: the world could learn from us. For the most part, we are supportive. We can call one another at 2 a.m. if we need to, even if we’ve never met face to face. We listen. We jump to action. We rally around someone when they need it even if we’ve never heard of them before. We understand when someone else might need something of ours more than we do ourselves. how we vote or pray or don’t vote or don’t pray matters not a whit. It’s quite remarkable.