Bridges not Fences

Had a conversation with a VIP today (very interesting person). 32 years old. Grew up in the Caribbean. Builds fences for a living. A philosopher at heart.

Told me how everyone is so into building fences these days. To block out their neighbors. To insulate themselves. To maintain privacy and foster separateness. “I grew up in the Caribbean. On our little island, we were like one big family. Everyone talked to each other. People cared about each other. We were part of each others lives - a real community.”

Community. Nice word. Every single one of us has a deep psychological need for it. We all crave to belong. To know we are part of a larger whole. Gives us a sense of security. And safety. And happiness. The best organizations foster community and build workplaces where people feel safe to be themselves. The best families do the same thing-cherishing each other and creating rich shared moments.

So maybe we should stop worrying so much about building fences. And start creating real security - by building bridges.

Re: Bridges not Fences

There's a riddlefor many people, fences, borders and walls = security

Then bridges and things that make connections = insecurity

However there is a deeper truth…We are all one with each other and with God, or whatever name you give the higher self, the gut, buddha, Allah, the Spirits

Now the question is how do we flip the saying?

Look at the EU, I'd say.  The Schengen Treaty says it all.  There are really no borders in Europe only lines of custom.

Re: Bridges not Fences

~

YES to Bridges

Re: Bridges not Fences

There had been no fences, borders, boundaries or even walls and also no bridges in our villages.
they will just put up a log across the streams and canals. there were no tarred roads, just foot paths.
They lived harmoniously and peacefully. bridges were built on the main roadsand the house holders close by built up parapet walls.
After that we are SEARCHING FOR PEACE AND HARMONY.

Re: Bridges not Fences

Absolutely, build bridges. Or, better yet, realize that the bridges already exist. The 'toll' is generally something as simple as a smile, an openness to communicate. We build fences (more usually walls, sometimes very high thick walls topped with barbed wire) because we tend to be so clueless about appropriate energetic boundaries. Where did we lose the awareness that we are in charge of what we take on (let in) and what we give out? So many people believe in their vulnerablity rather than their empowerment, that it leads to the walling off, which in the end, just shuts them up with their fear…

I find it interesting to observe people in different communities….the community I live in, which has a huge military base and many retired military, plus many people of what might be characterized as 'fundamentalist' orientation, is gererally not an open or inviting one. If you smile at someone on the street, they act as if you are up to something. Just up the road a bit, there is a university town. You can walk around and bike around this community and everywhere you go, folk are smiling, open to conversation and so forth. The difference is quite striking really. I persist in smiling at people in my own area, and engaging them in conversation if they don't run for the hills [ ;-) ], but I often wonder what they are so afraid of. Of course, I could move up the road, but what would this place do without me? That is facetiously offered, of course, but perhaps not so far off the mark from the larger perspective…