Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Senior's needs? (was Achieving age diversity)

[Tree Bressen (tree]

Dear Lia,

> Here's the thing.  Putting my son first and foremost did not mean that I 
> didn't
> teach him how to live in harmony with others.  Believe it or not, we had
> candlelit civilized dinners every night.  And, you know what, we almost NEVER
> were alone, because his friends practically clawed their way into invitations
> to participate in our gentle rituals.

[snip]

> Is it possible that kids don't really want to run wild and trample on the
> rights and needs of others?  That is my humble experience, and I wonder if it
> has been explored in co-housing communities, or whether the ideal of "freedom"
> has pre-empted exploration into what children really need.  It sure isn't the
> constrictive milieu of the 50's, but I wonder if there isn't something more
> nurtuing we can offer children that involves empathy, sensitivity, and
> responsiveness to beauty, ritual, and sensitivity.  There are times to shed
> restictions and simply explore the riches of the universe with abandon, 
> but are
> community meals one of those experiences?

I would love to hear more.  What did you do specifically (in addition to 
candlelight) to create dinner as a beautiful, gentle ritual?

Thanks,

--Tree



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Tree Bressen
1680 Walnut St.
Eugene, OR 97403
(541) 484-1156
tree [at] ic.org
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