This year, as we explore The Living Movement of Relationship, that question “What does it mean to be part of a community?” feels especially relevant. Relationship is not something fixed. It is shaped by how we meet one another, how we respond to challenge, how closely we listen, and how willing we are to consider experiences beyond our own. It also includes our relationship to place, to the natural world, and to the larger communities of which we are a part.

What becomes possible when we recognize that we are not separate?

One question that has emerged in this work is: What becomes possible when we recognize that we are not separate?

That question sits at the heart of community service and service learning.

It can be easy to think of service as something we do for others. There is a need, and we step in to help. But being part of a community asks for something more. It asks us to pay attention to what is happening around us, to notice whose needs and experiences may be different from our own, and to consider what responsibility comes with belonging to something larger than ourselves.

That responsibility can take many forms. It can mean helping ensure that families have enough to eat, supporting elders in our community, restoring habitat, protecting species, or caring for the places we share. In each case, the work begins with recognizing that these concerns are not separate from us.

This year, we are deepening that work through new community partnerships with organizations including HELP of Ojai, Topa Institute, and the Turtle Conservancy.