Community

Community, to me, is the connection among the people who we work, live and enjoy life with. The family community is a big one, and the dynamics within a family can be intense. Yet no matter how challenging things can become in one's life, the family is always there to provide support and guidance. What ties families together can be nothing more than blood ties, but can also be friendships and marriages and children. The work community is another. The dynamic is different than that of a family but can be just as supportive and provide an outlet outside of one's family to vent frustrations and share "war" stories with. These people become our friends, whether or not we spend time with them outside of the work environment. These are the people that we can share our work frustrations and accomplishments with, because they are there, in the trenches with us every day, and deal with the same pompous jerks, kind people, irritating people and demanding supervisors that we do. It is a connection to share inside jokes and laughter, and to buckle down and band together to get the job done - and get it done right. Then there are are comrades who we play with. Whether it is a pickup game, paintball, beach volleyball or whatever, we bond with these people as well, as we share a common enjoyment of some sport or athletic event, and cheer each other on to success.