Who Do You Rely On?

No one survives in isolation. Each one of us exists in a web of people, many of which are crucial. Who do you rely on?

When you consider your life, just think about all the people whose lives intersect your own. While some of those people have very little influence on you, others are more important.

Obviously, people in your family play the biggest role. A spouse, parents, children, and on and on. These are people you might see every day or almost every day, and who you depend on for support of all kinds.

Beyond that, you likely rely on your friends as well. To maintain emotional well-being, you need to have fun, whatever that means for you. Playing games, making music, competing in (or watching) sports, etc. These are things you do with friends, and they probably play an important role in your life.

Depending on the job you have, you may spend more time with co-workers than with anyone else in your life, possibly even including family. While a job is just a way to pay the bills for some, for others a career can provide purpose and meaning. And a supervisor and co-workers can play a large part in that.

Beyond these obvious examples, there are many people who are invisible to you. The people who make it possible to put gasoline in your car to drive places. Or the meteorologist who tells you when to bring an umbrella, sunscreen, or winter boots. Perhaps the cook who makes your dinner at a restaurant, or the grocer who carries the food for you to cook.

Everywhere you go and everything you do makes you part of a large web of interconnected people. Who do you rely on, and how?

Related questions: What makes a community? Who is the most important person in your life? How do you depend on others? Who would serve on your personal board of directors?

 

 

How Are You Self-Sufficient?

This week’s question, “How are you self-sufficient?” is in contrast to last Sunday’s “How do you depend on others?” What skills, knowledge, or talent allows you to work on your own?

It’s difficult to imagine many people being entirely self-sufficient. We rely on each other for so many things, not the least of which is basic human companionship.

However, it’s also true that some people are self-starters. They naturally find a motivation to do things, without others showing them how.

Alternately, some skills or hobbies allow for self-sufficiency. If you can knit, you can make your own clothes. If you garden, you can grow your food. Musicians or writers can create their own entertainment.

In what ways are you able to stand on your own? To not depend on others?

Related questions: How do you depend on others? What makes you you? How do you judge yourself? What’s the most useful thing you’ve ever learned? How are you special?

 

How Do You Depend On Others?

Events of the world show that we are more deeply connected than ever before. We all depend on each other. What happens halfway around the world can have medical, political, financial, or environmental impacts here.

With that in mind, it might be helpful to explore just how you rely on others. From family, to friends, to colleagues, to complete strangers, how does your life depend on the actions of someone else?

That also leads to the obvious corollary: that other people also rely on you. Your actions and beliefs can make a difference locally, nationally, and even globally. Have you considered the ways others depend on you?

Related questions:  What are our responsibilities to others? What makes a community? How much power does an individual have?