Women for Living in Community is not just a website or a place to meet others interested in this lifestyle. Certainly that is a part of it but there is more we can do as advocates. Part of our mission as women paving the way toward a culture of change surrounding the way we age is redefining the entire paradigm. What does it mean to live in community and what makes it different from the experience most people are having today?
I suggest that one of those ways, as we forge our own families in community, is to continue celebrating. I don’t necessarily mean a birthday cake with candles and party hats but really diving in to the meaning behind celebration. I believe that women building community have a chance to share our message with the world through the value of hospitality.
There are so many ways we can celebrate our continued vibrancy as we live in community with one another. Spontaneous dinner parties, game night, open houses, and “croning” ceremonies are all excellent choices. So what are these things and how can we implement them in our shared households? Let’s look at them one by one after the jump.
- The spontaneous dinner party. Who says a dinner party has to be formal with the right place settings and seven courses. Bring pizza or fried chicken on your way home and celebrate the day with your roommates just because you want to. Check in with everyone, see how they’re doing. It can be a great way to bond and reconnect after a day of errands or work.
- Game night. Why not dip into a classic with a game night? Pull out something fun like Trivial Pursuit of The Game of Life. An evening of nostalgia is a great way to celebrate connections in a shared home. So often we tend to withdraw into our own spaces and entertain ourselves with television or other solitary activities. Shake it up.
- Host an open house. Are other people in your community curious about your shared household experience? Invite your neighbors for an old fashioned open house or encourage everyone to participate in a block party. You may be surprised how many people you meet who are interested in alternatives as they age as well. We have a chance to be ambassadors.
- Croning ceremony. There are so many milestones in our lives that we do celebrate but it seems we stop the cycle pretty early. After a wedding it is common to shift any future celebrations to the next generation in the family. But why not celebrate a different milestone. Have a 60th birthday party to honor yourself as a wise crone. Heck, you can even celebrate being post-menopausal! The possibilities are endless.
Celebrations are essential. I believe that they keep us engaged and active and can be a great way to connect with others in our household or our communities. What kind of celebrations would you have?
Do you want to know more about community building or sharing a household with others? Contact me or join the conversation on Facebook.
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Image by AForestFrolic via Flickr
Marianne – Congratulations on the launch of your book and the wonderful evolution of your initiative. I’d like to talk with you about beta-testing the NORC concept in a Western North Carolina community. Are you still interested?
Sure I would love to have coffee and see what you are up to.