Creating a community and finding its

purpose| Stephen Jon Thompson

Reflection:

What is my ideal community and what does community mean to me? I would say that my ideal
community is a place where I can call home; my safe haven. I want a community that can make me feel
secure, welcomed, and belong. A community wherein I can safely walk alone at night without having to
feel any danger and harm; a place where I can freely express myself confidently in the absence of
judgment from others. A community for me means a shared space with different people called “kapwa”
whom you can interact and communicate with. My answer seems simple and vague, however after
watching the video, It gave me a deeper meaning and made me see it in a different perspective. Stephen
Jon Thompson willingly shared his experiences as a nine year-old boy who faced challenges and
difficulties in an early age. He narrated how his nine year-old self struggled to find a place where he can
call home; somewhere he can feel that he belongs. Although he went through hurdles a nine year-old
boy should never have to go through; he managed to find the belongingness that he was seeking for by
nurturing his social life by building friendships and communicating with various individuals. He made me
realize that our differences should not put us apart from each other, rather, it should bind us stronger
together. Despite the distinction between each individual, he never let that dictate him on who he
should approach and befriend with and that is why he was able to build a strong connection to others
that later on helped him to get to where he is today. Finally, It sinks in to me that a community is not a
mere place, it is so much more than that. It should be a place where you are surrounded by warm and
loving people who would always have your back through your storms and to your journey to victory. A
community that will pull you up instead of bringing you down. A community where you see each other
as a family and not as strangers. A community where you would feel belong and not lost. A community
that would help you grow and develop as an individual without causing any harm to you. A community
that would give you pats on the head, a tap on the back, and a hug warm enough to defrost your cold
heart. Furthermore, he stated that he never realized that by talking to others on a daily basis and
sharing interactions with them; he was slowly building his own community. By this I feel like most of us
are also unaware by the fact that creating bonds with each other and checking upon others are vital
ingredients in building a healthy community. As he grew older, he was never afraid to speak about the
unfortunate events in his life which made the people around him comfortable enough to talk about their
own struggles in life. This community brought him closer to opportunities and opened various doors of
hope that made him what he is now. After watching his ted talk, I was able to grasp the message that he
was trying to convey it is that a community will wholeheartedly lend their hands to you in times of need
and will celebrate your accomplishments no matter how small or big it is and that became a huge part of
his identity. Through his community he had the chance to exercise his freedom and talent as well as
spread the contagious smile and hope that he has within his soul. We should recognize that God did not
create different versions of human beings for us to isolate ourselves. No man is an island, no matter how
independent we are there are instances wherein we have to rely on others and that is the purpose of
having a community; it is to have someone to lean on and somewhere to rest your exhausted being. The
community for me is like a puzzle, there are many pieces that goes together to create an image or
symbol. Without those pieces binding together, we would not be able to create a something that is
meaningful. It is the same in a community, without its people getting along with each other, it is
impossible to build something significant.