Cohousing-L Mailing List: Social Factors

[Charles R. Durrett (charles.durrett]

------ Forwarded Message
 
From: Tree Bressen <tree [at] ic.org>
Date: Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:28:28 -0700
To: <coho [at] cohousingco.com>
Subject: yes to social factors
 
Hi Chuck,
 
Thank you *so* much for the article you wrote in the most recent
Cohousing magazine online, about strengthening the social factors in
order to make community living work!  That's exactly the advice I've
been emphasizing to groups I¹ve been working with lately. Having you
out there saying it too helps bolster the message for more people who need
it.
 
I feel a little embarrassed at how many years of living in community
it took me to figure out that I (and everyone else, too) was
operating with huge double standards.  If my buddy left a dish in the
sink, I hardly minded at all; I could make up all kinds of excuses
for him.  But if the housemate who I was most distant from did the
same thing, then of course I became terribly annoyed! Duh. Once I
realized this I started making conscious efforts to stay more
socially connected with folks, and to support forms for others to do
that too in my community.  It didn't fix all our problems, but it helped.
 
Keep spreading the word!
 
Cheers,
 
Tree