I’ve never met Pádraig Ó Tuama, but I have such deep affection and gratitude for this Irish poet. If we ever do meet, I am sure I will try to say thank you and end up weepy.
So well said! This idea of "neighboring" as a verb reminds me of all the talk of the loneliness epidemic. How much happier, healthier, and dare I say, gentler would we all be if we felt that sense of connectedness and interdependence??
Absolutely agree with you! I don't know a single person whose life would not be made better, easier, more pleasant by having those connections (which is why I can't stop writing about it, ha!). And I think, especially in the US, which is in many ways the worst example of that isolation, we don't know what we're missing. Happier, healthier, and gentler, indeed!
Once again, you have left me in tears. I am in a very solitary time in my life and I often feel lonely. I’ve often thought about how weird it is to spend so much time in close proximity to people who are strangers to me. I crave connection with those people, but am not sure how to go about creating those connections. I might just write a note to leave on people’s doorsteps, asking for more interaction, listing some things that I could use help with, and offering to help others when the need arises. <3
Aww, friend--I think we all feel like this deep inside. I don't know a single person whose life would not be made better by more community (even if we do it awkwardly and sometimes poorly). It's all of us. Though, depending on the specifics of the situation, I know some are feeling it more keenly right now.
I follow a woman on Facebook (Sharon Astyk) who talks a lot about preparing for what comes next and on the building community front one of her list items is just: "Bake cookies and bring them to a neighbor." Sometimes the start can be just as easy and low stakes as that.
Are there any groups in your immediate area you can join--I'm thinking along the lines of neighborhood emergency preparedness or Buy Nothing or something like that? Those can also be ways in. And, of course, my #1 way is to get a dog--you'll meet EVERYONE that way 😂🤣 (Finn agrees!).
Let's keep brainstorming and find something that works for you ❤️
So well said! This idea of "neighboring" as a verb reminds me of all the talk of the loneliness epidemic. How much happier, healthier, and dare I say, gentler would we all be if we felt that sense of connectedness and interdependence??
Absolutely agree with you! I don't know a single person whose life would not be made better, easier, more pleasant by having those connections (which is why I can't stop writing about it, ha!). And I think, especially in the US, which is in many ways the worst example of that isolation, we don't know what we're missing. Happier, healthier, and gentler, indeed!
Thanks for chiming in :-)
Once again, you have left me in tears. I am in a very solitary time in my life and I often feel lonely. I’ve often thought about how weird it is to spend so much time in close proximity to people who are strangers to me. I crave connection with those people, but am not sure how to go about creating those connections. I might just write a note to leave on people’s doorsteps, asking for more interaction, listing some things that I could use help with, and offering to help others when the need arises. <3
Aww, friend--I think we all feel like this deep inside. I don't know a single person whose life would not be made better by more community (even if we do it awkwardly and sometimes poorly). It's all of us. Though, depending on the specifics of the situation, I know some are feeling it more keenly right now.
I follow a woman on Facebook (Sharon Astyk) who talks a lot about preparing for what comes next and on the building community front one of her list items is just: "Bake cookies and bring them to a neighbor." Sometimes the start can be just as easy and low stakes as that.
Are there any groups in your immediate area you can join--I'm thinking along the lines of neighborhood emergency preparedness or Buy Nothing or something like that? Those can also be ways in. And, of course, my #1 way is to get a dog--you'll meet EVERYONE that way 😂🤣 (Finn agrees!).
Let's keep brainstorming and find something that works for you ❤️
And this article might spark some ideas for you. I'm going to try a firepit hang on my street this summer: https://supernuclear.substack.com/p/stoop-coffee-how-a-simple-idea-transformed
xo