Making Connections: Building Our Culture of Belonging During the Holiday Season
What makes a community great? According to my new friend Wayne, it’s the ability to enjoy quiet moments, places to get some exercise, and opportunities to connect with others.
And who is Wayne? If you’ve spent any time at all near Frank’s Alley in Uptown, you likely know Wayne as the tall gentleman holding signs enticing folks to grab a hot dog, and, in recent days, reminding the community to be at this year’s GlizzyFest.
I had the opportunity to chat with Wayne about a week ago. I could tell he didn’t want to talk much about himself. He definitely wants people to know that he “just holds the signs,” because he doesn’t want to take credit for Ross Horner’s clever artwork. Wayne is kind of quiet and shy, but I could tell that he has found a community of friends and a sense of belonging in Uptown. Wayne is also a reminder of the magic that happens when people form connections.
Since I talked to Wayne, I’ve been thinking about that a lot. People who know me in real life might side-eye the notion that I am actually quite introverted, but it’s true. The job I have and the work I do requires a lot of travel and interaction with other humans. Sometimes the conversations are challenging. I’m often tired. I like to be at home, and I crave alone time. I think it’s fine to claim that space sometimes. And yet, my two closest friends (who happen to be social workers) often remind me that connection is a basic need for humans. Even for introverts like myself, there’s something innate in us that craves a sense of belonging.
Why is that? According to my friends, it likely goes back to the earliest days of humanity, when belonging to a group was literally the difference between life and death. Research tells us that even today, teenagers who feel ostracized process that feeling in a similar way to how the brain processes dying. It doesn’t feel good or safe to be excluded.
The good news, however, is that we each possess the superpower that’s needed to take care of one another. We just have to be actively open to connecting with others. When we do that and work towards building a culture of belonging in our neighborhoods and community, we’re actively saving people, and remarkably, we’re also saving ourselves. We’re addressing loneliness but also, when people have chances to form support networks, they organically have access to more resources. The connections we have with others are some of the most profound pathways to opportunity. They’re often how we make new friends, find a new job, or even get help with food or housing.
What if we all made it a point to keep that in mind this winter? The coming season can be an especially difficult time for those who are struggling. Some of us are having a hard time making ends meet. Some of us lost loved ones this year. Some of us may not have a warm or safe place to sleep. Some of us are worried about job security, some of us are making the impossible choice between buying groceries or medications, and some of us just need friends. The holiday season that’s just ahead of us can amplify feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and grief. So while this is an important time to be thankful for what we have, it is also a great time to think about how we can make a difference in our own communities and lend a hand to those who need us.
Investing in our community with kindness can be as simple as holding the door open for someone, smiling at a stranger, or helping an elderly neighbor with their grocery bags. Try to make a point to support our local businesses when you’re shopping for gifts this year. Call and check in with that friend you haven’t talked to in months. Let the other driver in the parking lot have the better parking spot. Volunteer at one of our local charities that is focused on addressing poverty, food scarcity, or homelessness. If you have something you need to promote in Uptown this season, stop in at Frank’s Alley so that Ross can help you hire Wayne to hold a sign for you. Any steps like these, large or small, can make a world of difference.
“The holidays, in the best circumstances, are a stressful time for most of us. For those in our community in crisis, they’re even more challenging,” says Alexa Johnson Anderson, President of the Board of Directors of Hope Harbour. “People who are impacted by domestic violence often find themselves feeling isolated and in need of services. We provide safe housing, legal advocacy, education, and community outreach to help people navigate the challenges that domestic violence causes. We depend heavily on the support of our local community to provide these vital services.” Hope Harbour can always put monetary donations to good use and you can also follow Hope Harbour on Facebook, Instagram @hopeharbour_ and TikTok @hope_harbour to learn more about their immediate needs throughout the holidays.
Hope Harbour is one of many local organizations who are working to help members of our community better their circumstances. A big part of that work involves connecting their clients with other organizations in town to help meet additional needs. There are so many that need our support this season, and you can learn about many of them, the services they provide, and opportunities for volunteering by visiting the United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley’s website at www.unitedcv.org. If you yourself are in need of support, you can reach out to the United Way by dialing 211, or texting your zip code to 898-211 to be connected with services that can assist you.
No matter how big or small our gestures may seem, connecting with our community is one of the most important ways we can continue building a culture of belonging in our town. It brings us together to support one another, making this community we love a more vibrant and welcoming place to live. So let’s all remember to do what we can to take good care of one another and ourselves this holiday season.
By Jules Warner