Voltaire’s Wisdom, Community Roots, and the Work of Belonging
“We must cultivate our garden.” Voltaire’s famous quote is more than metaphor—it’s a call to action. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how tending to our families, communities, and civic spaces is both a personal and collective responsibility.
The exact quote from Voltaire, the 18th-century philosopher, is “We must cultivate our garden.”
Voltaire spent his life focused on freedom of speech and religious tolerance. I wonder what he would think of us today? And what does he mean when encouraging us to cultivate our own garden?
The concept of a garden is quite pleasing. My Aunt’s garden was huge and contained all kinds of vegetables, from sweet corn, large squash, green beans, and strawberries. Like I said, her garden was huge. To top it off, lush flower beds ringed the garden. I particularly liked the “hens and chickens,” more for their name than their looks.
While her garden made a lovely display and was enjoyable to look at from the large wrap-around porch on the house, with the swings hanging from the rafters, the work associated with that garden was endless. She was out there in the early morning to weed and hoe and again in the setting sun to gather vegetables and flowers for the next day.
I do not think Voltaire was referring to my Aunt’s type of garden. I rather think that he was talking about our place in life and those around us. Our families, our neighborhoods, our communities—these are the gardens of reference.
How do we participate in these?
Our neighborhood has a List Serve, which is a marvelous invention for the computer age. I suppose it in some way replaces the party line of the phone when I was a child. The list serve contains news of changes in the community, such as the county’s effort to develop some land or the need for speed bumps and stop signs. It includes requests for gardeners, babysitters, and short-term rental places. Teenagers post their talents and willingness to do odd jobs or babysit.
I know of families that have a group chat where they check in every week. In this way, they are up to date with the news of the events in the lives of their siblings, cousins, etc. When I was a kid, our extended family had annual gatherings with potluck lunch and dinner, generally held on someone’s farm with the barn cleaned down the center for music and dancing. Some families have annual vacations that tend to grow in the number of houses rented as the family grows.
Voltaire would approve. I also think that he would want us to look beyond our families and neighborhoods to the broader society and care about how our towns, cities, states, and country governments are serving the needs of the people.
How are you cultivating these gardens?
Want to explore how civic engagement and community care shape emotional well-being? Visit Greater Good’s guide to civic engagement and mental health and Psychology Today’s article on why community matters.
If you’re reflecting on your role in family, community, or society, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support clarity, connection, and contribution.
By Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst
