What I Learned From Community Is That It Comes And Goes.

1n 1996 I was eeking my existence as a single mom. Everything I knew about family had shifted and we were starting anew. 

I had gotten involved in some personal growth curriculum.  One course, which was known as Self Expression and Leadership, asked us to define our communities.  At the time I thought I had very few.  Yet, as I thought about it I had community with the ladies I food cooped with, jazzercised with, trained with for my business, and I was delving into the school volunteering community.

One thing that occurred to me is that moms as a whole is a community, dads, those who bowl, drink at bars, play softball or knit together.  Those are all community defined.  A gathering of like minded individuals, sharing a dream, a passion, or a bit if imbibement from time to time!!

What these communities meant to me were a different story.

The food coop was a way to access alternative foods, non-main stream grocery items at a way better price. We had to work to get it unloading trucks, dividing cases of foods and managing the money transactions. For me, it was an answer to a prayer, at the time grocery stores around here didn’t carry organics, or foods without additives.  The coop fit into my ideals about how I wanted to feed my family

Jazzercise was undeniably my stress relief, my being a mom saving grace –I always felt stronger, more energized and believe it or not one heck of a lot calmer if I kept at my jazzercise classes.  I can’t say I found my next best friend there yet I knew that all of those woman were there for the same reasons as I. It made us a better person, a better mom. 

At the time I was just starting to build my nutritional consulting business. I had alot to learn, not only about the products I was selling, but about being a business woman.  Weekly around the table strategizing meetings  fueled my drive to keep on keepin on with regards to my work.  Every product I learned about, every sales technique method I explored and every goal I achieved was all enveloped with others doing the same.  We relied on each other when we failed, when we got confused and most of all when we triumphed!! I give huge credit to that tableside training and the success of my business!

Finally, the very first day at a brand new school I was the mom on the playground shaking hands with another asking if they could watch my kids.  At the time I was desperate, I had landed an interim job and I needed an hour of help after school each day. Thankfully,  I did find the help I needed from a perfect stranger no less.  I find often the generosity of folks ever so humbling!  

The school mom community became a fourteen year path of discovery for me. I got very involved, gave my time, my creativity and often got in way over my head. Like the year I chaired a huge fundraiser, or the year I chaired fifteen events in relationship to the school’s centennial, or the pilot program for an alternative green germicide. My involvement in these projects were a large part of my personal growth over the years. The communities created at a children’s school are to me astounding!!

As I reflect on these years of community I have to say my biggest observation is the transient nature of community. They really do come and go. You leave one community to join another. You might be a soccer mom for years only to dive into field hockey later. A grade school mom is very different to that of a high school mom. Interests evolve, devolve and shift. I am not into the food coop thing anymore.

Blogging and the blogosphere is one of my current communities. A virtual one at that! What Robert provides for us with this writing project - community, my green moms carnival group - community – participating in SOBCON09 without attending – community – woman’s business networking groups - community – those who are into photography, writing, authors, the green movement and advocacy — these are ALL community!

Lastly, our families are also community.  They too shift from diaper changing patrol, to little league and ballet, to science fairs and prom. Each was a layer of community to participate in. One of the reasons I joined community along the way is I wanted to example a vibrant citizen.  I wanted my kids to see involvement at a variety of levels.  I wanted them to know I wasn’t the only one raising them! Giving back, giving time, sharing and being a leader were all things I wanted them to see as they grew.