Anybody Out There??

I've been reading "Me to We" lately - a book written by Craig & Marc Kielburger. It's about how we help ourselves by helping others. They talk alot about community and our need to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. Our society, although more connected globally now than at any point in history, is also very individual. We do so much in isolation, whether it's work, entertainment or whatever. Look at me - instead of calling people to share all these thoughts, I sit in my office by myself posting them on a blog that you can read, also by yourself, and maybe respond to. Email, although very efficient and a great tool, is so impersonal. One of my favorite quotes in the book is "We watch Friends instead of having friends."

When we lived in Winnipeg, we experienced community in a very true form. We had the unique priveledge of attending Grain of Wheat church. The church was in Wolseley and the majority of the people who attended also lived in Wolseley, many in walking distance. For them, church was not just Sunday morning. They really had a sense of what "community" meant. Living in Wolseley was very deliberate - it kept everyone close and connected. There were local businesses run by people in the church that were heartily supported, including Tall Grass Prairie Bread Company (the absolute best bread & cinnamon buns in the world! I can't go back to Winnipeg without stocking up) and the Wolseley Oak restaurant. It was such a unique experience - people were there for each other. When someone was sick, there was no need for a sign-up sheet to look after them - it just happened. My friend Mona went there as well & after we had moved she told me that one of the things they started doing was common meals. At supper time on weeknights, they would have 5 (I think) houses who ate together. The meal was rotated between the houses so that each family only had to cook one meal a week (it was just a bigger meal). This was just a supper thing - people came & ate and then went on with their evening. Because everyone lived so close, they could just walk to each others' places. I feel so blessed to have been able to share in this community. It was a truly unique experience.

I find it hard to reclaim that sense of community but feel a longing for it. I don't do well in isolation. None of us do. Just look at the statitstics of depression today. We are social people & we need each other. We need to return to a place of being involved with other people in a more meaningful way - beyond just email and the occasional telephone call. It is in helping others that we truly find peace and fulfillment.