Relationships and Imperfections

During this community conversation, we talked about how profoundly relationships carry us through hard times, good times and everything in between.

However, in this time, we are entering into relationships in new ways that are stretching how we have connected. These are unfamiliar times to us all, and we are craving connection. It also means that we are realizing harm is happening, not only outside of our own worlds but inside them as well.

As we learn from this new space and season, here is the story we shared and talked about during our community conversation.

In addition to the fable, we talked about how two elements of the ten essential elements of dignity (Hicks, 2011) relate to our relationships.

Here’s some of the questions we asked with our community. We encourage you to ask these questions with your communities and families after reading the above story and elements of dignity.

• What are your thoughts about the story of the porcupines?

• Where did you notice the elements of dignity—Acceptance of Identity and Inclusion?

• Share an experience of feeling that you did not fit in.

• Share an experience where you discovered that someone was very different from the negative assumptions you first made about that person.

• How can you incorporate the elements of dignity: Acceptance of Identity and Inclusion to build and strengthen relationships with family, friends, co-workers?