Hopefully you have enjoyed learning about the inspirational messages found in the cartoon My Little Pony and about the societal-challenging Bronies who love the show. One other topic which came out of exploring the show and its fans, is the importance of finding a supportive like-minded community.
While watching the documentary, A Brony Tale, I was so touched by the Brony community and how they interact with each other. Of course, there are inside jokes, references, and terminology defining the community, but what is powerful is the love expressed in the group. The Bronies shown were truly happy. They were joyful. They were giving. They were kind. They were inclusive. They were accepting. And they were hopeful. It was a beautiful expression of pure goodness and a group of people I would love to be surrounded by.
In the film, psychologists studying Bronies expressed how historically a counter-culture reaction has developed to every chaotic and catastrophic time in the world. For instance, the hippies of the 1960’s were a reaction to the Korean and Vietnam wars. Now, post 9/11 and after decades of violence and terrorism, many people are also seeking to escape the chaos and fear. They are looking for ways to create peaceful conflict resolution. They are seeking something more tolerant and accepting. These seekers are coming together and creating nurturing harmonious communities where they can feel safe, connected, understood, and loved. These Bronies, and other similar communities, are turning their backs on hate, attack, and fear by creating spaces where inclusion and hope are the foundation.
“A Long Way from Equestria” is a Brony-written song expressing the displacement so many people feel. His lyrics inspire us to not let go of the dream for a better world. “I will never surrender to the hate / I know this world ain’t perfect at all / But the world is just what we create / So let’s make love, let’s make friends, let’s take time to make amends.” We have a desire for love, connection, and peace, but are told it is not realistic. We are told the world is hard and difficult, but we desire a better life. I believe if we focus on the good and surround ourselves with others who think this way, we can change the world.
Look around you. Who are you surrounding yourself with? Are you focused on love, acceptance, and kindness? Or are you focused on fear and hate? So much is difficult in the world right now and there is much we can not directly affect. But what we can do is create small movements of new thinking. We can create communities that think and act differently. Start with your family and friends. Create an atmosphere where you can all express your truth, where you accept each other as you truly are, where you support each other, and where kindness not hatred resides.
You are also welcome to join me and others in the Living Type Me community. This community was created for the book, From Type A to Type Me: How to Stop “Doing” Life and Start Living It, which encourages readers to uncover and accept their unique Type Me and the Type Me of others and learn to live their lives more fully. Hopefully by being ourselves and allowing others to do the same, we can move into a new age of love, equality, and acceptance.