What’s The Big Idea?A Community Reading Room
Info Shop
Street Library
Alternative Reading Room
Gallery
Meeting Space for Groups
Simplicity Circles
Focus on alternative literature
Health
Life style
Education
Religions and spirituality
Food
Community Development
Music
Story telling and poetry
The time has come for our community to create a place where people can explore a perspective outside the main stream. You might say, the mainstream has gotten us where we are, what is wrong with the main stream? This should be a place for people who want to challenge the status quo. A place where diverse groups can come together, a comfort zone of sorts. Comfort for whom? Any one who has a desire to be a part of the community, to bring people together with a common goal.
The goals may be many and diverse. As long as the goal strives to improve lives in our community.
My daughter Alison is 16 years old she and her friends need a safe place where they can spend time with each other and practice their independence and find out what is important in their lives. Women with small children need a sanctuary, a quiet place, a stimulating energizing place. Somewhere they can explore their creativity through discussion, literature, crafts, exercise, spirituality, music, and dance. We do some of our best thinking when our mind is not cluttered. Working families need a social outlet where adults can gather to enjoy healthy discussions, healthy food, music and laughter. I hope this will attract a culturally diverse group of people. We all have something to learn from each other. If we see each other as individuals we are less likely to wage war against each other. I see this as a resource center of sorts, where any one can come to find out how and where they can make a difference in our community. This needs to be a multi generational place. My family lives in a multi generational household. The benefits are endless. When we isolate ourselves and our children from older people we all miss out. My mother brings her history to my children and their friends. They see her making beautiful clothes from a length of cloth instead of going to the store to buy it; they see her cooking a meal from a recipe in her head instead of micro waving a box; they listen to her stories about when she was a girl and recognize some of the same struggles they are having in their own lives. There are so many elderly people in our community with a history to share. These histories will be lost if we don't make space for them in our lives. Individuals, college students, people new to our community will have a friendly, safe, stimulating place to come; to explore where their talents lay. We have become too isolated in our homes with our computers, televisions, and video games. etc. It’s not reality! The best part is people will not have to spend a dime. Any more we think in order to have a good time we have to go out to a bar, restaurant, mall movies etc. It is all very expensive, and for families on a tight budget they feel even more isolated because they can’t live the glossy magazine life style. Soo it all sounds great but how, where , and when will this be accomplished? The answer is up to all of us here, if you think you would like to be a part of a group of people trying to make a difference in our community, share your talents, time and network with others to find the resources we need to make this happen. I know many of you are thinking, I’m so busy right now how could I possibly do one more thing; here is what I am thinking.
There are people who have time to give, we always need time.
There are people who have special skills and talent, very valuable to the project.
There are people who have things to donate that are not useful to them any more.
There are people who have money or services may wish to donate to the cause.
There are people who know other people who would like to help in any of these ways.
Finally
There are people who will wish us well, think positive thoughts about our project, say good things to other people, and come and enjoy our company any time.
2 comments:
I wanted to say something about perspective outside the mainstream, in how that certainly is important. What is missing in the 'status quo' is awareness that we are responsible for our lives and every aspect of our culture. Much has been taken for granted after so many years of history and growth, leaving a void of acknowledgment of where we have stopped growing. Mainstream consciousness tends to be blind to where conventions have sheltered reluctance to grasp our weakest points in relationships and awareness. Stepping outside the mainstream we insist the exercise of renewing perspective of where we are in the universe, within ourselves, and connected with one another in life. I embrace my challenges with an attitude of trust in the right to know the truth in a direct way that serves the quality of my living. What survives as the traditions and conventions of the mainstream gathered through the generations of our heritage should naturally remain in an obvious way as I walk through this process of restoring sensibility wherever it's been lost.
Looking forward to sharing this process with the group and community here!
Tom C.
You are right we are missing a fundamental connection to what brought us here. I like what you said about embracing challenges with an attitude of trust. My niece tought me about West African Adinkra symbolism. Sankofa is the symbol that tells us "Return and get it" "symbol of importance of learning from the past." Maybe this is part of the reason the current generation like our friend Malakye in the photo are attracted to the symbolism of body decorations. You may enjoy looking at this site of other Adinkra symbols.
http://www.welltempered.net/adinkra/index.htm
PEACE, Marianne
Post a Comment