I have been reflecting a lot about community lately. What is community? Good old Merriam-Webster defines community as "a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society". This definition is quite dry so I looked to the origin of the word community and found the Latin communitas. I studied Latin in university (for fun) so I have a fondness for the language. Communitas can mean kinship, fellowship and partnership. This is the type of community I am searching for.
How do you go about finding community? People are becoming more socially isolated from each other. We might have hundreds of Facebook friends or Pinterest followers but we still feel lonely and isolated. As a mother that stays home I feel this truth keenly. Why is this happening? Are people working too much, commuting too far, or watching too much TV? Probably. I'm sure there are plenty of reasons.
I am noticing that I have to be very purposeful about building community. I've had to go out of my comfort zone many times in the last few month but it has been worth every awkward moment. I've met some lovely individuals at church, the library, farmers' market, U-pick farms, Strongstart, community events, in our neighbourhood and through Meetup! I try to encourage our new friends to drop by any time and to feel comfortable in our home. I think that kindness, openness and honesty are important attributes to building community.
And I don't think I could publish this post without a nod to the community of the blogging world. Yes, I might not be able to enjoy a cup of tea with many of you but I have met some great people through blogging who inspire and encourage me.
I am enjoying a cup of tea with you right now :)
ReplyDeleteI think you hit the nail on the head, we have to be purposeful about building community. At least that is my experience. As I build my community I have had to reach out, create connections and look for other like minded families. It hasn't been easy, but it is worth it.
Thanks Kim :) Yes, even though it can be very challenging I'm finding that making those connections are so important for ourselves and our family.
DeleteI've been pondering the same things, add we prepare to leave the military and settle somewhere permanently. We keep thinking of new and exciting places we could move, but deep down, I just want to be near family. I also realize that if we cannot live around family, my neighbors and friends will become my little community.
ReplyDeleteI agree, moving away from family and friends can be hard at times, especially in the beginnings. Personally, I find that since having my children I have been more aware of the community around me and therefore more involved in it (ie: attend more cultural and comminuty based activities, volunteer, initiate projects, etc). When I first moved to PG I was feeling very isolated and lonely, but I forced myself to find the communitites that I wanted to be part of and now I must say...I feel at "home" here!
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