browngirl

Hm. I'm having a thought I'm struggling to articulate. So pardon me if I'm clumsy with my words. I believe all of us exist at multiple levels simultaneously... we're individuals. we're parts of families, friendship networks, neighborhoods, communities, etc. When we're doing something for our community that we are also a part of, I think maybe we *are* the brave camel somewhat. I'm an individual and I could choose to do something for myself. But I'm also a cell or an organ in a larger, collective body called my group of friends, or my family, or my office, or whatever. I think one of the disconnects about the US is that we focus so much on the individual as being the most important aspect of self-hood. This isn't true in all cultures, and it's not universally true here in the US either. Many of us were raised with, or have chosen or developed, more of a collective sense of self-hood. Often the US individuality-uber-alles concept says that being collective-minded is pathological, too selfless, the sign of low self esteem and something to be ashamed of. B/c of course the (white, middle class, mainstream, etc.) US/western culture is always right and this way is always the right way. And sometimes there is a piece about low self esteem that's worth looking at, of course. But sometimes, maybe there's nothing wrong with us when we see ourselves as part of a network, and when we lean on the collective for strength and belonging, when we want to serve and take care of our communities as a way to take care of ourselves. Because we recognize that community care IS self care, b/c we can situate ourselves within the collective self.

That's a long way of saying that just maybe, sometimes, possibly, you are the brave camel when you dance for other people.