community...

Over the Christmas holidays, my parents came to North Carolina for a visit.  We all spent some time up in the mountains near Asheville, NC.  During our stays in Asheville we always enjoy a visit to West Asheville Bakery long ago recommended to us by a friend.  My parents enjoyed this bakery while on this visit.  My mom was especially drawn to a framed poster on the wall was a Syracuse, NY poster on building community.  My mind now keeps recalling little ideas from this poster's text.

Prior to moving to North Carolina, I lived in Vancouver, B.C. in the West Side near UBC where there is a very strong sense of community.  Our family now lives in the small suburban city of Monroe, NC.  It has so much potential with its history, arts, small businesses and lovely architecture.  I have found myself often wondering why it seems so edging on being an amazing place to live but it also seems there is a small barrier to cross to reach that point.  Over the past days my love and I have been thinking of ways in which we could make a difference here.  I think somewhere a long the way Monroe, NC may have lost its luster due to poor economy and a need for some local love.  It's time to build community as others have been starting already, we as a family desire to pour into this city in similar ways and together this small, historical, artsy location will have a strong and healthy community full of diversity and hope.  It would be so incredible if we could individually begin to implement some or all of the suggestions from the poster on building community and see this city thrive and grow.

This is the text from the poster I now intend to purchase and work into our daily lives.  I hope it will impact our city as it has so many others (Including my hometown of Vancouver, BC.):  

How To Build Community

Members SCW Community

Turn off your TV*Leave your house
Know your neighbors
Look up when you are walking
Greet people*Sit on your stoop
Plant Flowers
Use your library*Play together
Buy from local merchants
Share what you have
Help a lost dog
Take children to the park
Garden Together
Support Neighborhood Schools
Fix it even if you didn't break it
Have Pot Lucks*Honor Elders
Pick Up Litter* Read Stories Aloud
Dance in the Street
Talk to the Mail Carrier
Listen to the Birds* Put up a Swing
Help Carry Something Heavy
Barter For Your Goods
Start A Tradition*Ask A Question
Hire Young People for Odd Jobs
Organize a Block Party
Bake Extra and Share
Ask For Help When You Need It
Open Your Shades*Sing Together
Share Your Skills
Take Back the Night
Turn Up The Music
Turn Down The Music
Listen Before You react To Anger
Mediate A Conflict
Seek To Understand
Learn From New And
Uncomfortable Angles
Know That No One is Silent
Though Many Are Not Heard
Work To Change This

(I took these photos in Monroe a while back.)

Happy Monday, friends!
Hoping you enjoy your day and where you live!
If you have any suggestions to add to the list of ways to build community please share with us.
We love hearing from you.
xoxo
Love,
~dee