Community

Now that I'm no longer in school, I've begun to find inspiration in non-technical books recommended by some of our members here. There's one that I've almost finished, and it's bringing up some surprising realizations in this person, the most important being the core of CAN: community. I've gone back to look for the person who recommended "When Corporations Rule the World", and I've not been able to find that post. Before I bought this book, I went online to find this thread and cut and pasted the various posts with recommended reading, printed it out, and took it to Powells City of Books in Portland. This is why I think I got this title from this forum. Not a big deal; I just wanted to thank that person personally.

Back to community. Having moved away from my original family long ago, and then with my own family moving several times, I never really stayed long enough in one place to feel part of a community. I even uprooted my practice several times, each time re-settling into a new community without thinking about the community-related consequences of these moves. The strongest experience of community that I enjoyed was when I joined a particular meditation path, and made lifetime friends this way. These friends are scattered through the state and some distant places on the globe.
A new awareness of the power and importance of community probably began when I joined this forum. I think an education of sorts is being dealt to me by linking to all of you, in so many ways. I've come to realize that somehow, community is going to save our country from disintegrating economically, socially, and culturally.

Now I'm reading this great book and seeing how I've made choices, big and small, to not support my local community wherever I've lived, in order to save money. I now realize that it's imperative for us to support our local farmers, manufacturers and merchants,even if it costs more. When I went shopping yesterday at my favorite natural food store, I noticed that every item in produce was marked with the number of miles distant it was grown. I began choosing the items grown closer to my town. (That's the kind of thinking I will be cultivating!)

I was penny-poor when I discovered Wal-Mart years ago, and got into the habit of thrift and frugality, as I stayed this poor for many years. I'm seeing myself learning to change some of my buying habits, as I'm now understanding the repercussions of supporting the largest corporate stores.

I'm also seeing that our movement to bring affordable healthcare to the masses will end up being regional and then local, as well as being plugged into this global website. Oh my. No one need comment on this; it may not be considered controversial. I feel like a blinking bear coming from a sleep out into the sunlight.