Life is with others

To be born means to enter a world inhabited by others. And those others -family, friends, neighborhood, community- are the ones that gave us a place and we at the same time make a place in them. These different institutions are the ones that facilitate the social bond without which it is impossible to conceive the human being. Because we are, in essence, social beings. We group together. We join together. Many times, we need to belong.

We could say in a simple manner, that life among others happens almost without noticing it. It seems that it doesn’t imply a decision, effort or the will to do it. It just happens. As we said, we are born and are included in a life where there are many others. But being surrounded by people does not mean feeling accompanied, loved or understood. And when we talk about the election of bonds, one question arises: Is there any relationship more unnatural than friendship? It does not come beforehand. We must work it, cultivate it.

We find that the origin of the word friendship has the same root of the word love and, if we play with words a little bit, we propose the mission for every day: to go from life among others to life with others. There is one important difference here. It is not only about those relationships that come like family or schoolmates, it is about making bonds an election to walk this life together.

Our work at the Community Integration area is to accompany children that are linked to our Program, by helping to add bonds with other people, strengthen those that already exist and, especially, build networks that provide support and company. But with the firm conviction that these bonds always transcend and keep being cultivated beyond the institutional walls. Like friendship. Transforming what we call here “models of affection, or support networks” into the true bonds in the life of the children. Love and friendship highly exceed our work.

Lic. Eliana Korenblum
ekorenblum@ieladeinu.org.ar