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I have written all past Blogs myself. When an opportunity arises to have a guest write a Blog, I follow my life’s guiding principle to say yes more often. This Blog is written by my guest. Please welcome him, as you have welcomed me over these 300+ Blogs. 

Christopher Chin is a volunteer at the St. Albert Seniors Association, working on garden activities and serving as a Chef Assistant in their Bistro. He has something to say that resonated with me, and I’m confident you can connect with his thoughts in your own way.

Take it away, Christopher:

Isolation vs. Community – Finding connection at every stage of life

When we hear the word isolation, many of us picture someone living alone, cut off from friends, family, and the outside world. Mention community, and we may imagine a life spent alongside a plethora of friends who interact with us regularly.

We may even feel an instinctual pull to associate the former with “older age” and the latter with “youth”. But what if it wasn’t so concrete? What if isolation didn’t simply mean total severance of interaction from others, and community didn’t mean clear, consistent engagement with a large group?

Let’s explore this thought more deeply.

As we grow older, our social circles naturally change. Friends move away, families become busier, and, inevitably, we lose people we care about. Isolation may emerge as a byproduct of losing people we care about, something that is unfortunately a natural part of life that we cannot always control.

The real kicker is that isolation is often invisible. It isn’t always about being physically alone. It can be the quiet feeling of being emotionally disconnected, even when surrounded by people. Whether someone feels isolated depends less on the number of people around them and more on the depth of their connections.

A person may appear to have all the friends in the world, but they may not truly know anyone at all. Perhaps our relationships exist on a spectrum: from the relationship we have with ourselves, to one trusted friend, to a small group, and finally to the wider community.

While the word “community” implies a larger population, I believe it to be defined by meaningful connection rather than the number of people involved. Many of us would rather have just a few incredibly close friends. Others may thrive by having dozens of friends AND a couple of really close ones. The point is that everyone’s perception of community is different. And that is okay.

At 22, my experiences are naturally different from those of many readers here, but one thing I think we all share is the desire to feel known by someone else. Community isn’t measured by the number of names in a contact book. Sometimes, it begins with a single person who truly knows us. 

In the wise words of Piglet:

“Pooh,” whispered Piglet. “Yes, Piglet?” “Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. “I just wanted to be sure of you.” –A. A. Milne: The House at Pooh Corner (1928)

Piglet reminds us that we don’t need to have an excess of friends to experience community, and that one or two people who are our “Winnie-the-Pooh” is more than enough.

After volunteering with the St. Albert Seniors Association (SASA) as both a gardening volunteer and chef assistant for Red Willow Bistro, I’ve realized a few things. Whether it’s volunteering, chatting over coffee, or simply recognizing a familiar face each week, communities are often built through small, repeated moments rather than grand gestures. I’ve realized that perhaps the most beautiful thing is coming to realize we are part of a community; if you’re reading this, one such community is certainly SASA, but it can also be those we’ve come to appreciate from school, our neighborhood, or through shared hobbies or joint ventures.

Community is not defined by age, nor by numbers. I believe community to be demonstrated by the little moments spent with those who make us feel whole, heard, and appreciated. It may take the form of many friends, but it may also manifest in the form of one. Sometimes, it only takes one person for a community to be fostered.

Well done, Christopher and thanks for taking the time to share with us.

And now it’s that time again. Please give this a bit of a think. How many quality friends do you have in your life? Too many? Too few? Or just right?

Please comment: Send me an email with your bit of a think. I am curious about your thoughts.

Photo by Erika Giraud on Unsplash

If you enjoyed The Blog, please share it with others. Thanks.

And my thanks to St. Albert’s 50+ Activity Centre for making this Blog possible.

Volunteer Blogger