Are the threads that bind communities together made up of the stories that are held in the collective consciousness of the community, families, and other social groups? Do those stories provide the metaphors and allegories for the understanding that flow beneath the visible layers of social interactions, morals, and ethics? It certainly is so. When the story is told, heard, and retold, it exists within, and makes up, the fabric of life—it holds us together .

What binds a community must be both flexible and strong, otherwise it is easily torn and important parts risk being lost forever. The harsh beauty of life cannot be fully endured without the strength we give to each other—in good times and bad.