I've started to notice how many groups of friends talk about some kind of co-living/commune/neighborhoody situation. Me and my friends aren't the only ones. But it is a delicate chemistry to actually accomplish because every family prioritizes different things. (This one wants a large fenced in yard for their dogs, that one wants an apartment or townhouse and little to no outdoor maintenance, etc.) It would be lovely if these intentional communities sprung up in every town and it was often an option wherever you went.
If I may ask, what changed that you moved out of your community that you loved?
I think more and more people are going to live together as the climate changes. Already, multigenerational housing is becoming more common. But community living can be tricky for sure. People do have different expectations and needs and then there is just he drama of living with other people. I spoke with someone who runs something like an ecovillage and he was amazed I lived at the community for so long. My community was pretty low-drama. I would probably still be there but Covid displaced me. I went to visit my elderly mother in Canada just as everything hit the fan in March 2020. I stayed for nearly four months and had all my stuff moved out back here. When I returned, I decided to move back to my house, which needs lots of work (including rewilding the front and backyards, which I'm doing on a timeline of years!). I miss the community but only change is constant.
Thank you, Jacquie. I remember the Danish intentional community in a documentary about happiness. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cleTzREJNs&ab_channel=Lauette1) It was similar to the one I lived in, especially the community dinners (a godsend) and the kids all playing together and having other adults around to help them out. That's good news that you've had some success in Manhattan!
Just over 4 years ago I moved to an area called Diamond Point which is on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The area is beautiful and has a relatively small population with lots of wide open space and beautiful beaches, great kayaking, mountain biking, and miles of paved trails for bicycles. Since that time I have made 3 wonderful female friends, 2 of whom are married (we are all the same age--early 60s). We all live within a 5 to 10 minute walk of each other's homes and a 3000 acre state park, as yet undeveloped. We take care of each other's garden watering and pets when one of us is away, We share tools, equipment like powerwashers and carpet cleaners, etc. We compost at 1 friend's house and we all share one person's recycle bin because they are so big and it gets picked up every week. We share produce from each other's gardens, home made kombucha, home made dog treats, jam, etc. These women are my support and are like family. I always thought I'd enjoy an intentional community, but this is close enough for me.
I've started to notice how many groups of friends talk about some kind of co-living/commune/neighborhoody situation. Me and my friends aren't the only ones. But it is a delicate chemistry to actually accomplish because every family prioritizes different things. (This one wants a large fenced in yard for their dogs, that one wants an apartment or townhouse and little to no outdoor maintenance, etc.) It would be lovely if these intentional communities sprung up in every town and it was often an option wherever you went.
If I may ask, what changed that you moved out of your community that you loved?
I think more and more people are going to live together as the climate changes. Already, multigenerational housing is becoming more common. But community living can be tricky for sure. People do have different expectations and needs and then there is just he drama of living with other people. I spoke with someone who runs something like an ecovillage and he was amazed I lived at the community for so long. My community was pretty low-drama. I would probably still be there but Covid displaced me. I went to visit my elderly mother in Canada just as everything hit the fan in March 2020. I stayed for nearly four months and had all my stuff moved out back here. When I returned, I decided to move back to my house, which needs lots of work (including rewilding the front and backyards, which I'm doing on a timeline of years!). I miss the community but only change is constant.
Oh and these are all over the place. You can search for them in cities around the world here: https://www.ic.org/
Excellent, Anne-Marie. I believe this movement started in Denmark. Lots of co-housing there!
I live in a multifamily building in Manhattan. Have tried hard to incorporate a lot of shared community aspects here, with some success.
Thank you, Jacquie. I remember the Danish intentional community in a documentary about happiness. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cleTzREJNs&ab_channel=Lauette1) It was similar to the one I lived in, especially the community dinners (a godsend) and the kids all playing together and having other adults around to help them out. That's good news that you've had some success in Manhattan!
Just over 4 years ago I moved to an area called Diamond Point which is on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The area is beautiful and has a relatively small population with lots of wide open space and beautiful beaches, great kayaking, mountain biking, and miles of paved trails for bicycles. Since that time I have made 3 wonderful female friends, 2 of whom are married (we are all the same age--early 60s). We all live within a 5 to 10 minute walk of each other's homes and a 3000 acre state park, as yet undeveloped. We take care of each other's garden watering and pets when one of us is away, We share tools, equipment like powerwashers and carpet cleaners, etc. We compost at 1 friend's house and we all share one person's recycle bin because they are so big and it gets picked up every week. We share produce from each other's gardens, home made kombucha, home made dog treats, jam, etc. These women are my support and are like family. I always thought I'd enjoy an intentional community, but this is close enough for me.