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The North American way of life is really getting me down lately. (And by lately, I really mean the last year, or even two.) I just don't think it's meant to be this way. Each of us living in our own little homes, with curtains on the windows so no-one can see in, with high fences to maintain our privacy from our neighbours (what a shame if we actually had to TALK to them!). I don't think daily tasks were meant to only serve our own family, or be done on our own while we herd our children out from underfoot so that we can just "get it done". I don't think we were meant to eat apples that come from miles and miles away, beef that is raised with growth hormones, and milk that is stripped of all its nutritional value and packaged in a plastic container that will end up in the landfill.
Not at all.
I think we're made to live in community, relationally with one another. To share the workload, and to even make work something we enjoy, because we're doing it with people that we enjoy. I think our kids are meant to play together while we can vegetables from the garden. I think we're meant to support each other, be strong when our neighbour is weak, and accept help from our neighbours when we ourselves are weak. Playgroups and coffee dates (to socialize ourselves) wouldn't be necessary. We'd be living it everyday. I think we're meant to eat from the land that we work, and what we don't grow or raise should be obtained from within our community, if possible. I believe we're meant to live with others in mind, instead of spending our days looking after the needs and wants of our own individual little family units.
Sound idealistic? Perhaps. I don't kid myself into thinking there wouldn't be issues that would need to be worked out, or that everyone would get along peacefully all the time. But where true love is, and where a group of people share a common goal and love the same Lord, I believe it could work.
There's a really beautiful scene in the movie "The Secret Life of Bees", in which the women who own a honey farm, and their workers, are all working together in the kitchen. The radio is blasting oldies (well, the movie is set in the '60s, so it wasn't oldies then!), and everyone is dancing and singing while working side by side at their tasks. (Doing dishes sure looks more appealing that way, compared to the way that I get them done!)
Anyhow, that is what's really been on my heart lately (amongst some other things, and waiting for this baby!). Anyone else in?! :)
4 comments:
This is something my friends and I tried a few years ago and went into it unprepared, selfish, and still hurt by our own wounds. We called our home the "Miracle House", but in retrospect, it's a miracle we all still loved each other when all was said and done. :) All that to say, I'm all for the idea and I think when all parties involved are in the right place, it can be a completely beautiful picture of community and Christ's body living and working together as He intended. So who knows, maybe D and I will join you on your commune one day...? Heehee. Thanks for sharing, Sarah. You definitely re-opened an avenue of thought I've shied away from for a good long time. :)
Do I actually have to comment? :)
it was fun to see you today! And I meant to tell you, you should read, "I am Hutterite" for an honest view of living in community - I think we can learn a lot from those crazy hutterites - both what is super beautiful and what should be avoided!
Yeah, we had a ton of fun too! I should pick up that book, heard great things about it. I think it's such a good idea to learn from others, both the things that work well, adn the things that don't work so well.
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