The Strength of the Wolf

In a 2000 book entitled Bowling Alone, Richard Putnam describes how the US has been experiencing a declining social capital. A community’s level of social capital is determined by the strength of the relationships forged within social networks. Simply, Putnam suggested that people would rather bowl alone rather than make a commitment to a league.

I cannot relate to the bowling metaphor, but I am realizing that if people fail to meaningfully connect with one another with a commitment to the common good, we cannot reap the benefits of trust, reciprocity, and cooperation.

I feel fortunate to have grown up in a rural community where people helping each other was a common practice. People knew they needed others to be successful. The old traditions of barn raisings or quilting bees are romantic examples, but that sense existed when I was growing up.

I purposely chose to live in a small town upon retirement because I wanted to try to re-build my social capital. I did not have a sense of community living in the medium sized cities most of my adult life. However, having friends and relationships through work, community band, running club, and recreational teams was different than knowing people who know many of the same people I know.

As I age, I recognize that groups come and go in my life. Some stay for a long time. When I lived in Wisconsin, a group of women got together monthly to do various shared activities. That group has remained connected over the years, and we have had several reunions. As we age, we realize that we should get together more often.

My greatest source of social capital these days is the volunteers with whom I work at Rocky Mountain National Park. I love this park and want to volunteer to give back. I had no idea that dozens of other people felt the same way. We share a common bond in our commitment to the park and to one another. Those volunteer comrades are the heart and soul of my retired life.

I am indebted to North Carolina State University for the opportunities in the last ten years of my professional career. The nickname for NCSU athletics is the Wolfpack. A Rudyard Kipling quote associated with a wolfpack is, “The Strength of the Pack is the Wolf… The Strength of the Wolf is the Pack!” That describes for me what social capital and community is about. The strengths of any community are the individuals—the strength of individuals is their commitment to their communities.