For tens years I taught students in Philadelphia and for half of those teaching years worked in small, private schools. Within one school we often sang a song that ended with the phrase, “We are family, we are one.” While this phrase was meant to describe a faith community, I find that it’s also quite an apt description of our nudist community.
If we consider what a family is, we realize that a family is there for each other regardless of what’s going on in life. A family supports one another, encourages one another, and picks up each other’s slack. I’ve noticed that our nudist community is exactly like a family in these ways. My nudist friends truly are a family: we are there for each other in ways that are rarely seen in this world and we help out when we see something wrong. Each nudist camp that I know of depends largely on its members to make things work. Right now at my camp, there are volunteers here helping to set up in preparation for opening day early next month. Of course, as any family has, there are differences of opinion within nudism that need to be worked out; kind of a nudist sibling rivalry, if you will.
Though we disagree about some things, we are united in that we all want to further nudism. We may have different ideas on how to do so- which is probably why this AANR election season is so heated- but we all desire for nudism to increase and nudity to spread such that it is an acceptable norm.
So, for better or for worse, if you are a nudist, you are my family and we are one. Now let’s all behave ourselves so that we aren’t considered the black sheep of the family!
Tags: AANR, body accpetance, caring, differences, family, help, naked, nude, nudism, oneness, peace
Change is difficult … even in families. I think our “family” is in need of some BIG changes and to get there, we’ll need to understand all sides of the story and respect each other while trying to understand.
I see this next round of elections being tough. If we remain with the Status Quo … I fear we will lose more members or new members. If we change and head in a direction that many of the veteran naturists don’t want to deviate from … we could lose members.
It’s these issues and changes that will affect our family in the future and the only way to get through some of these tough times is to hang together and weather the storms of change … if they do come upon us.
I’m not afraid of change and I don’t think that our other family members should fear it either!