I live in community. I live in an intentional/cohousing community in the Pacific NW. Living in this community, is like living with a very large extended family. It is also a very interesting view of the macroworld through a microworld setting. There can be tension and disagreements but is also a oasis from the seperateness of the traditional way of living.
My family and I were called to this community just a little over a year ago. We were living in a typical tract housing neighborhood. We had good neighbors though it seemed like we didn't see them that much. It also felt like we were moving in a different direction that made it harder for us to connect with our neighbors. We wanted to connect with people who would support us in this transition we are going through which led us to investigate cohousing. We did a search online and found a list of cohousing communities in the local area. We contacted a few. The only one that responded was the one we live at now. This community shares meals 5 days a week. When we came to meet the community, we came for dinner.
The grounds are awesome. 10.6 acres of land half of it still forested and about 2 acres is a grassy, natural meadow. Pigmy goats call from the country road that runs along the meadow and chickens happily peck at the grass. So many things in bloom and the wonderful smell of spring in the air. As we sit down for dinner, we are introduced to so many lovely people. Wonderful hospitality. Though I will never forget what one of the resident said to us that night, "You do know that there are no openings for residency right now?" We smiled and said yes we know. It ended up being destiny that we moved in, because just a few months after meeting the community, one of the residents offered their unit for rent to us and we accepted.
After moving in, we came to understand what had called us to this community. Just the year before one of the founders of the community had unexpectedly past away and another founder was on his way to doing the same. One founder was a great facilitator the other the guardian of the garden. So hear we are. My husband being the awesome facilitator that he is and me the garden sprite that I am came to answer a calling.
Was it fate or destiny? Perhaps it was more fate for we were not aware of what was going on but maybe it was destiny because we were aware enough and not afraid of change.
Times are changing...FAST! We believe that most of the community understands that but some are afraid. I have come to realize that change is the biggest fear for humans. Death is a part of that. Especially in Western Society. Some people in the community are going through such life changes that is taking way what control they believe they have. They are afraid and exert that control in other areas that hinder positive change in the community. I don't believe that they do it consciously. We are currently in discussions with the community with the aid of an outside facilitator to help us with our direction and to help with the difficult conversations that must take place if we are to intentionally move into the future (destiny) or fight change but still move into the future (fate). No matter what this community has a destiny. We can't ignore it. We can either move into it gracefully or have it blow up in our faces. I feel that this is happening to everyone on different levels. Some are in surrender to it and moving through their transition gracefully. Others are fighting it and having everything taken away mercifully.
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