Relevance Post: Uniting Unique Communities

In class yesterday, some of the discussion included comments on different communities and the way that Bilbo found ways to relate with a lot of them. Being from the Shire, where everyone keeps to themselves and lead simple and happy lives, Bilbo had never experienced any other kind of community before setting off with Gandalf. However, by the time his journey ended, Bilbo had made friends with elves, dwarves, wizards, and even with Beorn. He had also communicated with creatures he didn't necessarily get along with (goblins and Gollum, for example). All of these new relationships made Bilbo a better and more refined Hobbit with a better sense of how big the world really is.

Personally, I know that I've often found myself wanting to stay in my own little world. I don't always want to meet new people, because I'm afraid it won't be worth the time. If I'm happy right where I am, why fix what isn't broken? But, when I do step beyond my comfort zone, I find myself learning from other people and their experiences and perspective. I find encouragement in camaraderie. I find inspiration in new ideas that I never would have come up with on my own. It's for these reasons that I enjoy taking classes and allowing my teachers to show me a broader world. 

I think that each one of us in this class can relate to Bilbo in this way. We like to be in our comfort zones with the friends we've always had and the communities we feel we've built, but we also have an innate desire to branch out. We want to relate to other people who are unlike ourselves. We want to learn something new and experience fresh perspective. Sometimes, we don't get along with certain people, and that's ok. As long as we, like Bilbo, have an open mind and a kind heart to try to understanding different perspectives, we can broaden our horizons beyond our own little "Shire."