The Power of Community
“The power of community, you know, is largely the power of communication. It is the voice of the neighbor who calls to be sure you’re well. It’s the song that lifts our spirit, the speech that stirs our soul, the sermon that draws us toward the Divine, the cry of the abused child who the community has failed. Community is largely built by, and sustained on, words. It is in listening, and being listened to, that a child learns she is valued in the community. It’s in the whispered “I love you” that brightens the darkness of shame.”
From “When Heaven Weeps — Lessons from the Road to AIDS”
A speech given by Mary Fisher at Trinity College, Palos Heights, IL October 2008