Neighbourhood Forum

Canstar Community News - ONLINE EDITION

Some thoughts on the notion of ‘community’

By: Sean Conway

Posted: 03/20/2013 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

The editor has challenged writers to write about community in this section. I have been searching for some meaning to the word. A poster encouraging community is attached to the fridge in our home. It is a family reminder of community. And I discovered this that we move in and out of a many communities without realizing it.

Many soccer parents — those faithful who attended their child’s soccer games while their kids were growing up — came to together this week to mourn the loss of the son of one of the families. The young lad’s passing in his sleep left a void in the family and was a loss to our community. The gatherings to comfort the family gave a peaceful insight into the word ‘community.’ The coming together of mourning souls reaffirmed old relationships, built new ones and created a much-needed spirit of healing for the community.

Celebrating my sweetheart’s 50th birthday brought together people from different family and social circles. The surprise party planned by her daughter brought together people who are special to her mother and our family. Our busy lives sometimes lead us to forget this broader community of family and friends.

One winter night I saw snow plows outside like a cloud of locusts feeding on the street snow and depositing the waste in my front walkway. Saturday morning I fortified myself with a hearty breakfast at Smitty’s on Meadowood to prepare for the back-breaking chore of digging out the walkway. To my surprise the walk was clear, done by someone from the neighbourhood community.

The fridge poster suggests ways to build communities. I came to a realization this week that we move in and out of communities every day without even knowing it. They provide us comfort in times when we most need to be supported. Communities are what bring and build joy in our lives and they lend a hand when you least expect it.

Sean Conway is a community correspondent for St. Vital.

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