Re: sharing of processions in cohousing | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Rob Sandelin (robsanmicrosoft.com) | |
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 94 18:29 CDT |
One very big advantage of cohousing is that by sharing processions we set up patterns of behavior which can spread to a larger circle. I own a chop saw which was a hand-me down from my father in law. All my cohousing neighbors use it whenever they want. Since I freely loan it out to my cohousing neighbors, I also freely loan it out to my non-cohousing neighbors. One of my non-cohousing neighbors who borrowed my chop saw came and did some work for one of my neighbors using his small bulldozer. My wife shared some plants with his wife, who has offered to take our kids for an evening. The non-cohousing neighbors later came and enjoyed community dinner, and shared in our culture. This spread to yet another non-cohousing neighbor who borrowed my chop saw and delivered a bucket of apples the other day. Both these non-cohousing neighbors have offered to help on a future project. The circle of sharing is growing, past the boundaries of the community. Sharingwood as a group owns a nice chipper/shredder. The concept of co-ownership which we modeled at our open house has spread and now three non-cohousing neighbors have jointly bought a riding lawn mower. They credit us for the "idea". Although as a community Sharingwood is just tentatively getting its feet wet it co-ownership and sharing of processions, what little we do is a model for others. I find this to be very cool and it shows to me that the values we learn in kindergarten of sharing, helping each other, and working together can be reapplied successfully to any housing situation anywhere. What is needed is a light to show the way. Cohousing, because it is so close to mainstream, can be, and will be and is, that light. Rob Sandelin Puget Sound Cohousing Network Building a better society, one neighborhood at a time.
- (no other messages in thread)
Results generated by Tiger Technologies Web hosting using MHonArc.