This is http://www.essayz.com/a9501222.htm Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words. {Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.} ========================================================== %REBUILD COMMUNITY RECONCILE ADVERSARY FELLOWSHIP+950122 %WAR TERRORISM CONFLICT CRIME LAW ORDER PRISONS+950122 %LEGAL ADVERSARIAL SYSTEM LAWYERS SUITS TESTIMONY+950122 %LOW COST HOUSING PROJECTS POOR PEOPLE EDUCATION+950122 %JOBS WORK CAPITALISM COMMUNISM SOCIALISM CARE+950122 %ADDICTION CODEPENDENCE COLLUSIVE DISHONEST GAME 950122 The process of building or rebuilding communities which have been destroyed or have otherwise disintegrated entails more than the building of houses, roads and work places. Wars, terrorism, conflicts, crime, prisons, adversarial legal systems, wealthy lawyers, decayed housing projects, poor people, unemployment and many more signs of personal and communal disintegration are essentially REFLEXIVE realities, not primarily OBJECTIVE realities. They all have clearly objective aspects, but objective understanding of their objective aspects does not lead to coping effectively with their disintegrative aspects, or to wise rebuilding of personal and communal integrity. "Putting the pieces back together" is not accomplished just by objective processes of literally putting pieces back together. "Putting the pieces back together" is without meaning, significance and satisfaction if it does not integrate both objective and reflexive processes. The reflexive processes which are essential to "putting the pieces back together" include processes pointed to by: RECONCILIATION FORGIVENESS CONFLICT RESOLUTION RAPPROCHEMENT MUTUALITY GETTING TO YES CONVERSATIONS VISITING HONEST DIALOGUE FELLOWSHIP FRIENDSHIP MUTUAL CARING CHILD CARE EDUCATION EXTENDED FAMILIES SERENITY SHALOM PRUDENT DETACHMENT RECOVERY HONESTY HUMBLE CONFIDENCE PRAYER MEDITATION ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS FAIRNESS JUSTICE DUE PROCESS BALANCE INCLUSIVITY MUTUAL ACCEPTANCE Leaders in communal reconstruction should be chosen with careful consideration of the kinds of processes which they are qualified to lead because of their personal temperaments, attitudes, dispositions, values, ideals, and visions. The process of communal reconstruction entails rebuilding a coherent and balanced set of integrative values, ideals, visions, attitudes, and dispositions--- which are embedded in people of integrity; people with traditions, rituals, beliefs and habits which promote both personal and communal integrity. Such a process entails changes which move the community away from the traditions, rituals, beliefs and habits which lead tragically to communal and personal disintegration. Such integrative changes are bound to be feared, and so fearful attempts made to avoid or resist them. Fear rarely leads to wisdom, integrative knowledge, understanding and efforts. Dealing with disintegrative fear is one of the essential aspects of the process of communal reconstruction; for disintegrative processes usually engender many intense fears. Rebuilding communities entails rebuilding the foundations for trust and intimacy in being true to self and others. The giving and accepting of free gifts of the freedom to be safely vulnerable are thus essential to rebuilding communities. Preoccupations with achieving security through sophisticated defenses and being constantly defensive, lead to personal and communal disintegration; not to rebuilding communities. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================