Tag Archives: community

Aug15

act.

Posted on by
Standard

172695

yesterday

i went to the official opening 

of the local headquarters 

for 

my choice of candidates

for the office of

the next

president of the united states of america.

when i pulled into the parking lot

there was not a space to be had 

there was a torrential downpour of rain 

yet people of all ages

were waiting

and

pouring out of the door

and

once i walked into the room

there was

so much enthusiasm 

and

so full of hope

and

postive thinking

it was overwhelming

 i’m excited to say that

tomorrow i’ll begin helping them

to try to make it all happen in november.

—

“act as if what you do makes a difference. it does.”

~william james

—

image credit: googleimages

Jun8

soul music.

Posted on by
Standard

IMG_1135

we stopped  to listen to an ensemble of young girls

playing lovely music at the weekend farmer’s market.

their teacher said they were in the 8th grade

where everyone is asked

to contribute something to the community.

these girls chose to offer what they had to give –

their natural gift of music.

they had to organize the day

 by asking permission to play somewhere

finding transportation

planning what to wear

being  on time

introducing themselves

and

remembering their music and instruments.

all of the money they earned

from passers-by

went to a local charity.

it was a beautiful lesson.

—

“music is the movement of sound

to reach the soul for the education of its virtue.”

– plato 

May27

work.

Posted on by
Standard

IMG_1127

“the supreme accomplishment

is to blur the line between work and play.”  

-arnold j. toynbee

May10

caring.

Posted on by
Standard

IMG_4795

the playground community

was worried

and

unsure what to do

how to help

there had been an accident

it had happened to one of their own

one’s hair somehow

got wound around

the button of another

the two involved 

sat down next to each other

(no other logistical choice really)

one put her arm around the other

one big one 

helped them to unwind it

one turned away

unsure how to help

one stood by

ready to help

one stood at a safe distance

watching closely

helping by being near

and

in the end

all was well

once more.

—

without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.

anthony j. d’angelo

Mar31

“the belonging you seek is not behind you. it is ahead.” ― Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Posted on by
Standard

00140e03dea47e80edc6fc007fa4de6d553e0014.jpg.CROP.article920-large

the only remaining incan rope bridge

the Q’eswachaka rope bridge, suspended over the apurímac river in peru, is a piece of living history. it is the last of the rope bridges that once connected the incan road system, and dates back about five centuries. rebuilt from twisted cords of grass by residents each year, it is a piece of history that is not only still in use, but regularly renewed.

the bridge—spanning 118 feet and composed of local grasses—is remarkably sturdy: it can hold thousands of pounds of tension. but perhaps the most remarkable thing about the Q’eswachaka is the local community’s ongoing dedication to keeping it in working order.

 the bridge, though strong, only has a lifespan of one to two years before it begins to weaken. since the structure was first built nearly half a millennium ago, residents of nearby towns have fastidiously rebuilt it hundreds of times. they continue to rebuild it to this day, with each family contributing some 90 feet of rope.

—

“true belonging is born of relationships not only to one another

but to a place of shared responsibilities and benefits.

we love not so much what we have acquired

as what we have made and whom we have made it with.”

—robert finch

—

credits: atlas obscura, anna green, mental floss

 

 

Jan11

detroit renaissance.

Posted on by
Standard

IMG_1080

on a downtown detroit day

discovering

beautiful little gems 

in so many

unexpected places

buoying our hopes

for a city

that has not given up

and is beginning

to thrive once again

in spite of

challenges

that once seemed

insurmountable.

—

“there is no power for change greater

than a community discovering what it cares about.”

– margaret j. wheatley

Nov30

never worry about the size of your christmas tree. in the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall. ~ larry wilde

Posted on by
Standard

IMG_4252

at the community tree lighting

with singing and people and candles and chilly air

IMG_4257

and then this guy snuck in

—

our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred,

and we are better throughout the year for having,

in spirit, become a child again at christmas-time.

~laura ingalls wilder

Nov28

thank you for giving.

Posted on by
Standard

12243248_10153831910731694_7494611680636960565_n (1)grandbaby b and daughter deliver

—

three of us:

one daughter, h

one grandie, b

and myself,

(not the wisemen)

delivered gifts

of thanksgiving baskets

filled with donated food

provided by many,

to families

in the struggling community

around the school

where h teaches

each and every day

12247187_10153831910641694_2058001717534180494_nsurprise gathering

—

and how lucky

that we were able

to show up

at one of her student’s houses

and the little one was shocked

when she opened the door

and saw her teacher, h

standing there

smiling

 with a basket of things

to make her holiday special

and when this child

with so many life challenges understood

that her teacher had chosen her house to visit

she grabbed her hand and didn’t let go

and her baby sister came to join in the fun

and grandbaby b joined in the fun

12243097_10153836039846694_1740779665349685110_n

another surprise

—

and on the next day of school

this little student

who didn’t have much to call her own

brought a gift

to thank her teacher, h

and told her:

“you brought me thanksgiving food so I brought you a balloon.” 

and the joy of giving

just kept rolling on.

—

there are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.
– khalil gibran

Nov23

warmth.

Posted on by
Standard

CoatLampPost1
halifax, nova scotia’s residents have recently been seeing an interesting sight: coats tied to street poles. at first, one might think that these clothes are lost, but they’ve actually been put there for a specific reason. if you look closely, there are labels attached to the jackets that read, “we’re not lost! if you are stuck out in the cold, please take me to keep warm!”

CoatLampPost5

every year, tara smith-atkins works to help the homeless brave winter’s freezing temperatures. she asks the community to donate old coats and then invites local children to help her tie them to lamp posts for those in need. they also bring along scarves and mittens.

CoatLampPost2

as the kids are tying outerwear to the poles, she aims to teach them an important lesson. she explained, “When we got back in the car after an hour on the street, they were all freezing and crying for the heater to be on and complaining because they were cold. and they were bundled up.” not only is the compassionate woman working to help the homeless, she’s also teaching young children the significance of what they’re doing. next year, smith-atkins hopes to include a $5 voucher in each coat pocket so the wearer can buy themselves a hot meal.

—

credits: halifolks, tara smith-atkins, amy poehler’s smart girls, ann gragert

Sep9

the one thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing. – james brown

Posted on by
Standard

IMG_3560 (1)

coming home

we happened upon

yet another

surprise festival

downtown

‘dancing in the streets’

with

cellos playing rock and ballads

hot zydeco

jewish youth band

belly dancers

maypole colors

lone violinist

swing

ballroom

the horah

swaying

spinning

circling

hopping

dipping

instruments for kids to touch

drawing people into the street

for

movement

and

dance

creating

eclectic groups

new pairings

unlikely partners

happy faces

and

it was pretty sweet.

—

i think the universe is pure geometry – basically,

a beautiful shape twisting around

and dancing over space-time.

antony garrett lisi