Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cohousing is a state of mind. by Russell Mawby

[Northwest Software Engineering (nse]

In a previous message Russell Mawby writes ...
>... cohousing is a state of mind, not
>bricks and mortar, although when arranged in
>supportive and pleasing manner bricks and mortar
>do help that state of mind.  Cohousing can
>(should?) begin right now, wherever we happen to
>be - we already have neighbours, after all.  What
>would it really take to get involved with them, to
>start sharing something of ourselves and of our
>lives, to take cohousing "out there".  I know it can
>happen, because I've lived in places, and seen
>others, where cohousing already exists - no formal
>agreements, no convoluted constitutions, just a
>bunch of people getting along, helping each other
>live their day to day lives.

This to me is the crux of the message. I need to remember that I don't need
special infrastructure to make the world a better place. My house may be
wasteful and inefficient of space and resources. But somebody will be living
in it if I sell it. So, I need to make it as efficient as possible.

And, I think more importantly, I have to strive to make my neighborhood a
community. To work with my neighbors to share our lives.

Thank you for reminding me that even though I don't see a co-housing
development in my immediate future that I can still bring those values to my
own situation.

Tom Heavey