There has to be something in common bringing a community together. Sometimes it takes a long time to be accepted into a one, while others are "in" almost instantaneously. There's a difference between being in a community, and being a part of the community. A community is not something people are in by just being there-just as being in a garage doesn't make you a car, or being in a church doesn't make you a christian. You must become a part of it, like you can in a lifting community. Lifting is a sport many people are involved in. It's inspiring; I very much enjoy it. It not only builds self-esteem, character, and allows one to grow, both physically and mentally, but builds muscle, as well as builds a community.

Lifting is what this community has in common. Not just by being there, but lifting with each other, and being a part of the lifting community. Although, in order to become a part of the community, one must understand what a community is. It comes from the latin root: comm?nit?s, which means common and society. The action in common is that we all lift, but in order to have a society, we must be associated for a purpose, according to the definition. That purpose is to become stronger, physically, as well as mentally, and maybe even socially. It seems to be a community, then! Though, why does it continue, and what more do they gain?

With each passing day, the community grows stronger. When I wish to obtain a max weight, and others help me obtain it, that grows trust and friendship between us. When we spot and cheer each other on, we learn to trust each other and form strong friendships. When one of our own gets injured, we lift them up, and carry them until they're healed. When people go through something that requires tremendous time and effort and is very important to them and they have someone beside them the whole time, it creates so much trust and friendship that over time they learn to become a family. I'm apart of that family. We lifters are brothers and sisters, and trust each other with our lives. They don't feel as if they owe each other anything because each man knows that the other would do the same for him. That's what holds us together-family. Then, let alone one's own gains. After a man or woman has lifted, they realize the feats that they have accomplished. I can feel the joy and confidence, ready to strive for even greater heights. That's why we keep going as a unit. It builds self-esteem, and aspiration, leaving anything "low" behind.

Now if we're a family, then we do have roles as it is said in Jane Howard's essay "In Search of a Good Family." One role is the chief. In my case, it's our teacher which also happens to be the strongest one of us all; therefore allowing us to kvell. Then, there is the switchboard operator which in a lifting community, would either be a secretary, or the teacher who in our case, keeps track of attendance, schedules, and creates workouts. The flamboyant eccentric is the one who is just the odd man out, or does things differently, like put the weights on the wrong way, or uses five 10 lb weights (that's really bad). He or she is probably a verdant underclassman, or one with a different personality than everyone else. We can still accept them too, no matter how they are. The host always has a friendly face on and strives to spend as much time on it as possible encouraging others to be there also. This might actually be me because I am always in a good mood, am there as long as possible, and help out others. I'm known as a lifter not just in the lifting room. The rituals are what makes each weight room special. (I'll continue using ours as an example). We do not flip weights around backwards so the inside of the plates are facing out, protein is not steroids, it's better to have form over weight any day, and stretch as much as possible. They're always different, but important to those who apply them. Every family has a different form of affection, because a slap on the butt to a lifter will do nicely. Though, in a business meeting setting, it would seem just a little on the weird/inappropriate side, am I right?There is also a sense of place for a family, and for lifters, it's anywhere where there are weights, work out equipment, and people to use them; whether that be in a school gym or a hotel. I still get that lifting sense of home. The posterity of a weight room is held in the younger ones. They learn from the elders, then teach the generations to come and so on. Though, not only knowledge and experience, but also rituals-maybe making some in the process. Now, finally the elders. They are who the majority of the lifters look to for guidance, knowledge and experience. The elders usually set the trends in terms of apparel, talk, names or what is acceptable. Many look up to them because they have the most experience. A couple of ours are "Slobbs" and Ian, and Marshall. When the elders graduate, there will be a next generation who were once the youngest also. That's posterity, keeping the traditions going, and the community alive.

  The oldest communities have been around since the beginning of time. Whether small or big, they still thrive. They come together for a purpose, and a common goal or action. Lifting is one of these communities; maybe more, and anyone can feel welcomed in as part of it if they share and support the goals of the lifting community. The words "family and "community" are similes because they have so much in common. Lifting is a mutual relationship everyone can benefit from. When a lifter sees one of his brothers down, he lifts him up and builds his own self-esteem along with him. We're a family; we look out for each other.