OUR INNER WELL
We must be intentional about tending to our well and building our community in order to thrive.
Why the well?
In ancient communities, the water well provided people with the precious gift of life that was critical to their survival. As long as water flowed from the well, crops and livestock would flourish, and the community would thrive. However, if a well were to dry up, or be contaminated beyond repair, life would become unsustainable, and their existence threatened.
Not only was life drawn up from the well, life happened at the well. It was often located in the center of the town where people gathered and for this reason the well became a symbol of community.
The lost ritual of the well.
According to the World Health Organization, as of 2022, 74% of the global population (5.8 billion people) used a safely managed drinking-water service – that is, one located on premises, available when needed, and free from contamination. For many of us, a simple press of a button will dispense whatever amount of water we so desire, whenever we desire. It has become dangerously easy for us to take this precious resource for granted. With access to running water, both the literal and figurative ritual of the well has been lost, and with it, our sense of community.
It is for this reason we must be intentional about tending to our well and building our community. Unfortunately, finding community isn’t as easy as one would think. Today’s social media based communities, with the one-click ‘likes’ and fleeting comments, have left our connections empty and shallow. Hiding behind filters, we are left to wonder what and who is even real anymore. Our wells have run dry.
The People Well was created to connect people and help build community by fostering meaningful conversations and providing us all the opportunity to share our stories.
Meet the elements of The People Well
01
The Well is a symbol for Community.
In ancient times the well was both symbolically, and often literally, located at the center of the community. From the well, the community drew water, the basic sustenance for life.
02
The Water Drop symbolizes life.
It’s the one thing that separates us from the rest of the universe; it’s the difference between life and death. Without water, humanity would not exist – life on Earth would not exist, for that matter.
03
The Fingerprints represent our individuality.
Our fingerprints are unique. No one else in the world has the exact same set of ridges and lines that you or I have on our fingers. Not even identical twins have the same fingerprints. They stay the same from the time you're born until death.
"We never know the worth of water until the well is dry"
Thomas Fuller, Churchman and Historian