tribe

*I wrote this post quickly and will continue to revise and add to this as my experiences and understanding of myself continues to proliferate.


TRIBE is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as "A social division in a traditional society consisting of families or communities linked by social, economic, religious, or blood ties with a common culture and dialect, typically having a recognized leader."

My idea of TRIBE is interchangeable or supplemental with the word FAMILY. A reader suggested not including children in what I view as family isn't going to be widely accepted. I would never purposefully leave out children because they are part of our social fabric. Children keep us honest to ourselves, modest to our accomplishments, and a reason to continue to make the world a better place. I didn't mention children possibly because I don't have my own, or possibly because I didn't feel included in my own family and their decisions as a child. Possibly why I never decided to have them, and yes having children my dear readers is a choice, you know where babies come from and how to prevent them.

But I digress, back to the TRIBE. I use TRIBE to explain the type of people that surround me by choise (either because the decisions I made put me in direct contact with them or actively seeking out people out for their skills, education, or life experience). TRIBE has a very visceral connotation to most people, and that is my reasoning for using the word. I want my TRIBE to be an emotional exchange, a place where everyone feels safe and connected, free to be themselves but still have mutual respect for everyone (especially their feelings), and a place people can be honest even if it means saying their truth that they have never uttered to themselves out loud, a place that they can feel supported and seek guidance, and a place that they can feel empowered to share their talents and gifts to others in the tribe.

Rereading this sounds too good to be true, but if you think about a TRIBE in the rainforest, everyone is responsible for certain tasks. Each of your tasks added up with my tasks added up with everyone else's tasks make our TRIBE able to survive. Why could this not be replicated in the modern world? Perhaps the successful people have already figured this out? Or could it be fear (unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that something or someone is dangerous) which is in the future and you have no control over so leave it in the future keep moving forward.

Just so we are clear, my tribe would have nothing to do with any bullshit reality show that tries to recreate a TRIBE which competes for prizes or encourages manipulations and lies.