V is for Village

It’s going to take this whole village to raise us all to be our best selves.

Now, more than ever, the concept of being part of a village is starkly apparent. The world village, often so disjointed, is intricately interconnected. COVID-19 and the extraordinary measures being taken to plank the curve are a wake-up call to the importance of a sense of community and our job in helping it grow, but also a sense of responsibility in helping protect that community.

We often hear the phrase “it takes a village” and we generally understand that it relates to child-raising practices, but it is so much bigger than that.

It takes a village to raise ALL of us. We all never quite stop being children because we all have more to learn, no matter what age or stage of life we are in.

This is patently obvious for so many. Think of all the teachers out there hurriedly learning new ed tech and online platforms, or wrapping their head around teaching remotely. Think of all the parents in this new age of normal who are more than ever juggling work, home, and school for themselves and their family. Think of scientists, engineers, technicians, doctors and so many others who are hourly assessing new information, developing new strategies, reworking equipment, factories, and so much more.

So in this new age, embrace your village. Give it Love. Be patient with it. Give it grace. Everyone is learning and adjusting and it’s going to take this whole village to raise us all to be our best selves.

Originally published at http://wordsgrow.com on March 22, 2020.