Community.
Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (Author: Cali Harris)One of my goals centres around my sense of and participation in community. One of the big changes in comping to New York was the change in the ways I could participate or make a contribution in the community. No longer could I easily be an active member in Williamstown Little Theatre, the local Rotary Club and within the school community at which I worked. It was late last year that I realized that the communities I could best be active in was those online.
The community at Get It Scrapped is the main area that this year that I felt as though I am part of a community and have something to offer. The women there are truly talented and supportive. They provide inspiration and care to those who just visit or others of us who hang out there often. One of the highlights of the year was our Vegas Retreat. The gorgeous Tami who organized the retreat, made sure everyone was welcome, comfortable and their every whim was catered for. It was such a beautiful time spent getting to know online friends in real time.
The classes meant that we had more than the feeling of great camaraderie but we learnt something. The page here encapsulates other aspects of the year when on another trip during the year we visited Tami in Vegas and met up again with her fabulous kids.How big does a community have to be? We set up our own Happiness Project- three of us. It has been really hard to maintain it with the departure of Julia back to Australia but we have had one skype meeting and a meeting in Melbourne as well as in other parts of the US. The Happiness Project meetings have helped me cope with the need to let go and provided a great space to mourn and celebrate the changes in our lives.
The wonderful Manhattan Scrapbooking Meetup also has been an important part of my feeling of community and being part of the city. Although I haven't managed to be there often when I am I feel I belong.
Looking forward to 2011 and the communities I'd like to venture into or more deeply connect with are those in the arts, particularly theatre but it is so difficult working and doing things after hours. But I'll keep plugging at it!
1 comment:
I'm up to day 9 on my reverb so that's as far as I"m allowed to read. Yours is the one savor reading.
I have to say i love the way you write but that layout of Zach still makes me warm and half teary eyed. Did I ever tell you I associate butterflies with my mother? She had a butterfly tattoo, I know it's a coincidence but still love it. I guess that's probably why that layout is so special to me :)
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