The road to peace is a road paved with compassion, says the Dali Lama.  Compassion is the missing link between powerful world governments that could do more for the world’s poor and marginalized, if only they could work together for a common goal of peace.

Those who study Christian theology realize that this spirit of the world is a result of original sin and the fallen state of mankind;  although created for goodness, man has opened the gate of sin (disobedience to God.)  In other religions are found similar concepts, most respecting the primacy of man in the physical world while acknowledging his inability to act responsibly towards other humans, the animals, and indeed even the trees and all the goods of the earth.   Those who do not believe in God or gods, and do not subscribe to any ideologies that are widely considered to be religious or even deeply philosophical in nature, still recognize the importance of sustaining the people of the world in comfort whenever this is possible.  They realize that the world must be cared for, and recognize that the other “animals” are incapable of seeing that through.  Therefore, you could refer to what Catholics call “the natural law” inscribed upon the heart of man.  Now, if only we would not break it so badly.

Most of the time concerts are held in large venues with large price tags, crowds and often hassle. If you love music, but not going out of your way to go to one with a bunch of strangers, a community concert is a great alternative. There is a variety of community concerts, ranging from religious concerts to famous artists.

In my small town we have had several community concerts that were a great success! A portion of the funds that were raised during the event were dedicated to a good cause by the performer. At these events they are held in a beautiful large open area in a community park. A team of volunteers then transform the park into a exclusive concert venue.  Having volunteers willing to help things run smoothly is an important piece to the community concert success.

These community concerts are a wonderful way to bring a community together through the power of music and teamwork. Check out these concerts.

Larger Country Music Concert-

Community College Concert Band-

Yes, there are some inspiring things taking place in the world too.  It is a puzzling dichotomy that the same planes that drop armed soldiers on the soil of foreign countries to kill enemies can also drop off crates of food and supplies to poor nations whose people are starved or oppressed by self serving regimes.  Not only is this puzzling, but it is also a travesty, a right mockery to mankind.  There must be some way to end the evils of war and begin an era of peace on Earth.  There must be a way to ensure that the abundance of resources is shared equally among the peoples of all nations.  Starvation, malnutrition, pestilence and plague need not write our future.  We can change the world.

It sounds so cavalier, and yet it is true.  I am not speaking of socialist or communist ideas.  When I say sharing, I am actually reverting back to the basic things we all learn as very young children at play:  if you have a toy or some candy, share.  If you have a hug, share.  If you have thoughts, share.  This is the way of children, and it should be the way of the world.  There is nothing in this material plane that we can infinitely own or store up for ourselves, so why hoard wealth, food, and power?  It all slips away.  What is enduring, what is fruitful, is love.  Love makes us immortal.  Love heals the scars of war.  Love destroys the bondage of a materialistic society and frees its people to love, share, and not fear shortages.

I also am not speaking from a purely religious standpoint, although, if you look closely into the basic precepts of all the religions in the world, you will find a common seed of truth, one that cries out for the humanity of man towards fellow man.  It is not war, strife, and want that dominate these ideas — but ultimately, is it a desire for peace.

• Help others who need it.  There are always people who need something.  Take some time this year to offer help to those who need it most.  You can volunteer at shelters and things like that or you can even visit elderly people in nursing homes.  When you know that you have put a smile on someone’s face it is a very rewarding feeling that leaves you wanting to help out and contribute more of yourself and your time.
• Talk with community leaders about getting your community healthy.  At community buildings and centers all over the country there are now fitness classes and health courses being offered.  Sometimes these things are free and other times they are for a small fee which is a lot more reasonable than a gym.  These courses can be in healthy eating or even offer health screenings for those who might need it.  Getting healthy should be a goal for all people and the more who know how to do it, the better.
• Promote shopping locally and going green in your area.  Buying things from local shops means people are putting more money right back into the local community.  It is also environmentally friendly to buy locally.

Celebrities faces and lives are spread across magazine stands all over the country. The community news is spread to national news when we have such large means of communication. When you are standing in live at the grocery store or getting you hair done, you can’t resist the temptation to pick up the latest issue of your favorite gossip magazine. We are naturally drawn to knowledge; knowledge about the world, life, people, anything and everything that your mind can come up with. This drive to acquire knowledge is what makes community news so important.

News about the stars isn’t the only kind of community news that makes it way around town. There is also the news of word of mouth gossip. This is the oldest method for sharing information. “he said”, “she said” story is one that we all have heard a time or two. This type of news can be the best when it is the hot real story but it can be the worst when you aren’t getting false information that has been altered to make one side look good. Bias is often a part of word of mouth community news.

Another method of community news is having a community newsletter. These are extremely helpful in knowing exactly what is going on in your community. Often community letters let you know when and where activities are taking place that you can get involved in.

The last and most informational kind of community news is a news broadcast. News shows, and websites provide a variety of information that is specific to your community. A news show informs you on things like what is happening in your town. It keeps you up to date on new projects, crimes, festivals, and other things. A news show also lets you know what the weather is going to be.

No matter what kind of community news you take part in, they all provide you with some kind of information about your community. Staying informed on what is going on around you makes you a more productive member of society.

Have you been to all of the public parks in your area yet?  There may be some that you haven’t even heard about yet!  Finding a new place to go for a jog or relax on the weekend can cheer you up and revitalize your passion for nature.  Go online and do a quick search for parks, trails or lakes near your location and see what you can find.  You can also ask your friends and coworkers if they know of any public areas where you can have an adventure and, who knows, it may even turn into a new tradition with friends or a spot to meet more new friends.

I bet there is a restaurant in town with an outdoor patio that you haven’t visited yet.  There are so many restaurants that change their menus or add outdoor seating during the summer months that can make the overall eating experience completely different.  Take a drive through an area of town that has some restaurants or cafes and stop in at one that you haven’t explored yet.  But the key here is to not rely solely on reviews you find online or to be overly picky about location since these factors aren’t always reliable.  Go and enjoy yourself and make a story that you can tell others about that joint around the block instead of waiting to hear about it from friends.

Don’t pass up a concert or show just because you haven’t heard of the band before.  You can do some research on them through your Dish Network packages and figure out what they are all about and then attend the show to discover whether or not you want to buy the CD.  I have been offered tickets to see local bands countless times and I never turn them down because over the years it has been these small local bands that end up being my favorites.  The most important thing to do is to be a trend setter.  Be the person who has tried that place that your friends are talking about and can recommend the best dish there and really impress the crowd.

This song talks about all of the things going on around the child and how easy it is to get caught up in other things that are all about them. It says that they are a good citizen when they help other people with anything that they need help with, as well as keeping their community clean and safe. To help keep your children safe in the community check out some home safety tips. This song is presented in a catchy way that gets stuck in your head. All the lyrics in the song have a good message that guides children in the right direction to becoming productive members of society.

This is the lyrics to the “Community Song (Citizenship Song)”

“I am a citizen of my society
And I participate in my community
I do my part, I keep it clean
I make this world a better place for you and me

I love my neighbor, I treat ‘em good
I show respect and dignity like I should
I love my family, I follow all the rules
I take responsibility for what I need to do

There’s so much goin’ on around me
Sometimes I think that it is all about me
Then I look around and see what’s in front of me
It’s you, and me, we help others in need

I do all I can to make this world a better place
Show respect to my neighbor and to the whole human race
Citizenship is who I am, everything that I do
I take care of the environment, how about you?”

It’s unknown who this song was written and sung by but it’s available for purchase at “havefunteaching”. Both teachers and parents that want to help make their children become better people by showing them how to be good members of the community could benefit from this lively song.

I have a personal passion for all kinds of animals as long as I don’t have a fear that they will bite or attack me, I’m not for the reptiles, insects, rodents, and exotic animals. I think that their neat from a distance but they aren’t pets. I think that the main animals that you can consider pets are the things that have emotions and show affection towards you. A real pet is a dog, cat, horse, and other close animals. They didn’t have them on this infographic but horses are one of my favorite animals along with both dogs and cats. When I was looking through the characteristics of both dog and cat people I did find myself agreeing slightly more with the typical dog person traits although I love my furry kitties.

I thought it was really interesting to see all the different types of people that are associated with certain animals. Are you a dog or cat person? Once you choose do you fit in with the typical dog lover or typical cat lover? You might be surprised at how much your personality is reflected in your pet choice.

A community softball or baseball league is a great way to get active and come together as a community! If you have a large community or just want to get people involved, creating a league is a good place to start. A community team would be a recreational team that plays other people from in your area. It may be all about fun for some teams while others are very serious. Make sure that everyone on your team is motivated and a good sport.

When you are building your team you should have a captain or co-captains. They can help keep everyone organized with practices, games, and uniforms. If you are the captain you want to make sure that you are an organized person and can keep people in line when you need to. You also have to have a business sense when you have to buy and order uniforms.

To be the best team that you can be as well to bond with the members of your community you should plan at least one practice a week if not two. Having experience will make any team better. Everyone knows the saying “practice makes perfect” may be said to often but is very true. You also want to make sure that you have several people on your team that can lead the way in practicing and teaching others the game. If no one knows what they are doing it wont go very well when you are playing in games.

Remember that it is always important to just have fun and play the game. Sports are intended to be fun and competitive, but should bring you closer together not cause problems. The more you play and practice as a team you become stronger as a community. Laughing and sharing time and efforts will make you realize your neighbors strengths and weaknesses. Having the people that you used to just see walking their dogs or on special occasions are now cheering you on at the plate.

Softball and Baseball leagues are a great way to get the community involved. They have both co-ed which is both males and females and they have strictly male and female leagues as well. The best option for a community is a co-ed team so everyone can work together. Why don’t you start a team in your neighborhood and see where it takes your community.