Part 16 Connection with oneself and with peers

The impression that remains topmost in my mind is the significance of peers in these communities.  It is very obviously important to have the feeling that others understand, and that you are not the only one with these kinds or experiences. If you always feel different, and fail to connect with others, it leaves a sense of being an outsider to yourself as well as others. It can have the effect of living as if only pretending to live, while having no connection to one’s inner self. When you can for once be exposed, as faulty as can possibly be, alongside others, it is a liberating experience. You can learn from peers, in good and bad alike. In communities it is possible to see others and to receive support from them in daily matters, to learn new ways of doing things, and to find new directions in life. With the help of peers, you can find social relationships as well as role models whose lives you can follow. You can gain better insight to yourself, and possibly reduce feelings of being lonely or different.