Building Community with the "Eight Habits of the Heart"
Clifton L. Taulbert
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Human relations experts, the media, the books we read and the sermons we ponder all seem to speak to the need for rebuilding or building anew this emotional place called "Community" Yet merely to build a physical place, no matter its value, and not build the people is to render the place emotionally silent, non-productive, and without vitality. Major buildings exist the world over as a testament to our skills. The computer chip has brought the world within earshot. Laser technology has taken us to where no man or woman has gone. We have seen this growth over the years because we have marshalled and exploited the tools of physical assets, capital, science and technology as vital to creating worth and value. Today, we live in an environment where these tools are accessible to all. However, to forge ahead and continue creating worth and value within caring and productive communities, with the same commitment and enthusiasm, we need to develop the fourth tool, People. Building "People" is necessary if we are to stay ahead of the curve in all aspect of our lives: Home, work, school and play. In our quest to drain the computer chip of all its power and genius, we must not underestimate the value for our lives that comes from face-to-face contact. While lauding the significance of scientific breakthroughs, we must remember that the earlier breakthroughs were merely sticks and stones valued only as aids within the context of early human socialization. Let's not forget, the tools of progress are dependent upon us to remind them of their role and place.

Going forward, good people must be challenged to bring their humanity, their inner skills, their emotional muscles, yes, their life actions to the communities that are needed for the 21st century. If we fail to value and develop the people within our lives; we will live, work and play within communities where selfishness, fear, greed, cheating and the donning of multiple faces to suit the occasion dictates the actions of our day. Getting ahead at the expense of others, overlooking the value of cooperative efforts and positioning ourselves for personal power will define our place.

What made the place of my youth worth remembering? Was it the odd assortment of stuff? It is memorable because of the relationships that were developed between me and the myriad of people who filed in and out of my life. And so it can be in all of our lives as we build community. Glen Allen, Mississippi, my hometown, was a beneficiary of the life actions that unfolded in front of me. Today, decades later, I have found these life actions to be mobile, vital and not out of date. I have seen these same relationships lived out by people in Europe, Japan and Central America. They are indeed mobile. The people in my small hometown knew that their life actions would build me as a person, but were not aware of their impact beyond our borders. So, remember, the conversation at your dining room table can have international implications. The attitude that follows