Jan Gunash

“When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.” – William Arthur Ward

We all want community. We crave spaces where we belong, where ideas flow freely, where we are seen, heard, and understood. Yet the truth is that community does not simply appear. It is built, and it is built on sacrifice.

I have always been the host for Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas dinners, monthly meetups with friends, and special holidays. I notice that people show up when they are invited, even if they have not organized something themselves. Community requires someone willing to step forward and create the space where connection can happen. It also requires commitment. You show up even when you do not feel like it, you give even when you have little, and you ask for help when you need it.

To truly belong to a community, you must be willing to give. Time, energy, attention, support, and often your network are the currencies of meaningful community. Those who expect to reap the benefits without contributing rarely find themselves part of something lasting. Communities are not vending machines. They are living systems sustained by the generosity and engagement of their members.

Building a community often means creating a third place. Beyond home and work, this is a space where people come together on common ground to connect, share, and grow. Third places are where conversations spark ideas, where collaborations are born, and where trust is nurtured. But a third place does not flourish by accident. It thrives because members invest themselves fully, even when that means stepping outside their comfort zones.

If you want a community, you must be willing to show up, give more than you take, support others, and share your network. Real belonging emerges from this exchange. Communities reflect the effort, generosity, and care of their members. They are filled with people who invest in others and help sustain the ecosystem. Without this commitment, there is no community, only crowds of individuals moving in parallel, unaware of the shared potential around them.

Belonging does not come for free. It asks for your time, energy, support, and sometimes your courage. You show up even when you do not feel like it, give when you have little, and ask for help when you need it. But the reward is profound. True community is a living network of trust, care, and shared growth. When you invest in it, you gain more than connections – you gain a space where you, and everyone around you, can thrive. The price of belonging is high, but the value of being part of something larger than yourself is kind of the whole point.