What Does It Mean to Practice Community?
Posted by Green Philly on September 22, 2026
Individual choices matter, but building sustainable communities also requires cooperation, shared resources and stronger relationships.
In this digital age, we can conference with our coworkers across oceans, order groceries with a tap, stream endless entertainment, and get the news directly to our phones at any time of day. Though we are more connected than ever before, we can also get buried in the convenience of being chronically connected. But while being connected online 24/7, we can lose opportunities to practice the skills that come with being in community with others: cultivating patience, compassion and understanding not only for those around us, but for ourselves.
Especially for adults, opportunities to practice these skills are increasingly rare. Even in Philadelphia, with its vibrant neighborhoods, community gardens, and block parties, the deeper skills of relational living – navigating difference, sharing resources, practicing active listening, and co-creating peaceful spaces – require intentional practice.
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