What's Your Community?

My gym is a community.

We are a community at the gym because we are all there for similar reasons. Most of us have the same goals: to get in shape, remain in good health, or relieve stress, these similar goals hold this group together.

The gym community values their minds and bodies. We share the belief that in order to take care of ourselves, avoid medical problems, or relieve stress that is dangerous to our bodies, we must maintain a healthy lifestyle by staying fit.

Staying in shape, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle should truly be for yourself, but there are some tensions or differences that work against the cohesion of this gym community, such as, competition, and how we view our own body image. Gym members come in every size, shape, gender, and age, but we all want to look like the man or woman on the cover of a magazine. Men compete with each other in the gym community to see who can lift the most amount of weight, or who has bigger muscles. Women compare themselves to one another by worrying if they are too fat, too skinny, or if they look older than another woman. Comparing ourselves to others can have a negative effect on the self confidence of men and women in the gym community.

I feel that I fit in with the gym community because I share the belief that exercise is good for my health, it makes me feel good, it will help me live a longer life, and it truly helps to relieve some of the stress in my life. I want to be part of the gym community because I care about myself and when you take care of yourself, you are less stressed and a happier, healthier person, which in turn can have a positive effect on your family, work, and your everyday life in general.

My Choice

For my “Writers Choice” piece I chose the Unit Three Blog assignment, You Are What You Eat? We were asked to write about a common tradition in our family or culture that have food as the “central activity” or focus. I wrote about my families traditional Sunday meal because it is something that I grew up with and is therefore very important, as well as sentimental for me.

This writing brought up strong and meaningful memories of good times with family that are no longer with us. When I thought of the common tradition of Sunday dinner, it became clear that food was the common factor in bringing all of my family together once a week. The following will give you an idea of what I mean:

“This tradition was always held in my grandmothers home. Around two in the afternoon on Sundays, my aunts, uncles, and cousins would begin arriving, bringing with them their own special dishes or deserts.”

I was also reminded of why this family tradition started and why it is so important for it to continue. Here is an example of what I mean by this:

“This Sunday tradition started when my ancestors were slaves and Sundays were the only day they did not have to work and could spend time together as families, so they cooked lots of food and ate and spent time together because this was the only day they were allowed.”

Tradition is something that I hold very dear, especially when it comes to connecting and spending time with family. I enjoyed reading blog postings of my peers as well, it was nice to get to know something more about them and the role food plays within their relationships. Even though some of their traditions may have been different than mine, I found that we still had things in common when it came to food.

You Are What You Eat?

For as long as I can remember, it has been a tradition within my family to cook a large meal on Sundays. This meal almost always consists of soul food dishes and preparation usually begins the night before.

This tradition was always held in my grandmother’s home. Around two in the afternoon on Sundays, my aunts, uncles, and cousins would begin arriving, bringing with them their own special dishes or deserts. For a few minutes, all of the kids would linger around the kitchen peeking into the covered dishes, especially the deserts to decide which ones they would choose after dinner and then go off together and play. While some of the women huddled in the kitchen cooking and others sat around the dining room table chatting or playing checkers, the men sat in the living room talking, playing cards or dominoes, and watching TV. Between 3 and 4 the table was set and food was put onto the dining room table buffet style and everyone lined up around the table to fill their plates with food. Usually the kids sat at the kitchen table together and ate, while the women sat at the dining room table and the men in the living room. After dinner everyone cleaned up and all of the adults would sit around and talk while the kids played together until about 8 o'clock when everyone finally had to head home.

After my grandmother passed, my parents purchased the home and this tradition continued. As I became older and sometimes complained because I wanted to do other things on Sundays with my friends instead of the family, I remember my dad explaining to me once that this was a tradition that began even before he was born. This Sunday tradition started when my ancestors were slaves and Sundays were the only day they did not have to work and could spend time together as families, so they cooked lots of food and ate and spent time together because this was the only day they were allowed.

Now my father has passed and I live in the house that once belonged to my grandmother with my own family, I still continue the Sunday tradition. Although some of my family members have grown old, passed away, or have their own families and new traditions, I still cook a big meal every Sunday for my own family and anyone else that may stop by, because everyone that knows me knows that the door is always open and there is always room at my table. Cooking for others and sharing a meal with people you love and care about in my opinion brings people together and keeps them connected.