Post by Jeffrey on Dec 22, 2021 18:42:51 GMT -8
I attended over ten schools from the time I entered grammar school until I graduated high school in 1982. It wasn't anyone's fault. It's just that my dad worked as an engineer for the American defence industry, a field that was quite volatile after the Vietnam War ended. Layoffs were frequent. in fact, I could always tell if things were going badly if my dad put the family boat up for sale. All in all, we must have had 4 or 5 different boats while growing up!
One other consequence of moving so often was that I had to become adept at making friends fast. I didn't have the luxury of being introverted, so I usually approached potential friends first. I've read that growing up this way makes a person more adaptable, but at the time, I found it all pretty unsettling. Being a student-athlete didn't help things, either. Sometimes, I'd have to move early and live with extended family so that I could run track or play football without a break in seasons. It was very important to me, but it made for a pretty lonely home life.
Anyhow, the reason I shared my background here is to illustrate the point that sometimes we simply have to reach out in our communities and trust that things will simply work out in the end. Thanks to the media, we've sadly become more and more suspicious of one another, and less trusting overall. The net effect is that many of us isolate ourselves behind locked doors, and that kind of behaviour is anathema to community building, and as an extension, mutual aid networks.
Have you ever noticed that nearly every older home you see has an extensive front porch? That is because at the time these houses were built, the culture was much more trusting and interconnected, so people enjoyed sitting in front of their homes and intermingling and chatting with their neighbours. This was great for two reasons: 1) children grew up learning the value and meaning of community; and 2) communal behaviour often prevented ignorance about our neighbours from festering into suspicion or worse yet, fear.
Sadly, because we are inundated by images and stories about the worst crimes and individuals, many come to see their neighbours as a liability or potential threat--usually without the slightest evidence to support it. Worse yet, in these troubled times, people have become even more suspicious and guarded about engaging with others and that only serves to erode community trust.
What the media won't tell you is that we need more community-building now than ever. Why? Because, as one individual or family, it's impossible to prepare for every eventuality. Whether due to limited space, funds, or both, we simply need to lean on one another to maximize our resources, our knowledge base, and our capabilities.
Now, I'll be the first to tell you the initial phase of community building isn't easy. Reaching out unilaterally is a bit like leaping into the void without a net. But don't be surprised when you share your concerns and desire for networking if your neighbours reveal that they've quietly had the same concerns and hopes for some time. Before long, you and your new acquaintances will be standing in a yard around a BBQ discovering all you have in common and what unique gifts you can share, as well. When this happens--and it will--you and your family will be graced with the most restful sleep you've had in months, secure in the knowledge that you've made an investment in your safety and well-being while safeguarding those desires in others, as well.
In truth, all that stands between you now and the wonderful reassurance I just described is a simple knock, a smile, and the willingness to build a small bridge of understanding between you and another concerned neighbour.
All the best, and stay safe!
--Jeffrey
One other consequence of moving so often was that I had to become adept at making friends fast. I didn't have the luxury of being introverted, so I usually approached potential friends first. I've read that growing up this way makes a person more adaptable, but at the time, I found it all pretty unsettling. Being a student-athlete didn't help things, either. Sometimes, I'd have to move early and live with extended family so that I could run track or play football without a break in seasons. It was very important to me, but it made for a pretty lonely home life.
Anyhow, the reason I shared my background here is to illustrate the point that sometimes we simply have to reach out in our communities and trust that things will simply work out in the end. Thanks to the media, we've sadly become more and more suspicious of one another, and less trusting overall. The net effect is that many of us isolate ourselves behind locked doors, and that kind of behaviour is anathema to community building, and as an extension, mutual aid networks.
Have you ever noticed that nearly every older home you see has an extensive front porch? That is because at the time these houses were built, the culture was much more trusting and interconnected, so people enjoyed sitting in front of their homes and intermingling and chatting with their neighbours. This was great for two reasons: 1) children grew up learning the value and meaning of community; and 2) communal behaviour often prevented ignorance about our neighbours from festering into suspicion or worse yet, fear.
Sadly, because we are inundated by images and stories about the worst crimes and individuals, many come to see their neighbours as a liability or potential threat--usually without the slightest evidence to support it. Worse yet, in these troubled times, people have become even more suspicious and guarded about engaging with others and that only serves to erode community trust.
What the media won't tell you is that we need more community-building now than ever. Why? Because, as one individual or family, it's impossible to prepare for every eventuality. Whether due to limited space, funds, or both, we simply need to lean on one another to maximize our resources, our knowledge base, and our capabilities.
Now, I'll be the first to tell you the initial phase of community building isn't easy. Reaching out unilaterally is a bit like leaping into the void without a net. But don't be surprised when you share your concerns and desire for networking if your neighbours reveal that they've quietly had the same concerns and hopes for some time. Before long, you and your new acquaintances will be standing in a yard around a BBQ discovering all you have in common and what unique gifts you can share, as well. When this happens--and it will--you and your family will be graced with the most restful sleep you've had in months, secure in the knowledge that you've made an investment in your safety and well-being while safeguarding those desires in others, as well.
In truth, all that stands between you now and the wonderful reassurance I just described is a simple knock, a smile, and the willingness to build a small bridge of understanding between you and another concerned neighbour.
All the best, and stay safe!
--Jeffrey