Bang the drum of reality loud enough, and the universe shakes. I thought I was searching for freedom, but I found it by binding myself. Adrift in an indistinct ocean, I found community, and it pulled me back to shore. By tying my life to others, and yes, binding me, I found purpose and hope. Sartre wrote that hell is other people. But other people can be salvation. Save yourself through others. We are the ultimate social animal, and in this age of separation, finding community means finding ourselves.
Photo: Marlborough Park, Madison, WI (June 22, 2026)