Today I am feeling inspired by the people around me.
More specifically, I am inspired by those who live with the intention to connect with those around them, those who create a sense of belonging both for themselves and others, those who value the concept of community. By our very nature we are social creatures, and I feel that as a society (specifically the millennial generation) our social lives are both on over-drive, but at the same time a little lost.
Recently, through my work, I supported a webinar that featured a neighbourhood project out west called Abundant Community Edmonton. While on this webinar, Anne Harvey from the City of Edmonton said something that struck me – she said that "as communities we have lost the art of neighbourliness." I began to think about this and Anne couldn’t be more right. Although there are many people, associations and groups that volunteer their time create a sense of community where they live, the reality is that the majority of us have truly lost the art of neighbourliness. In a world where we are capable of being connected to one another on a constant basis – we seem to be so disconnected.
I strongly believe that community doesn’t have to be where you reside, although for many people it is – community is about where we spend our time and where we create connections and build relationships. So the question that arises is this: How do we bring the art of neighbourliness online?
I am also a strong believer in the positive potential of technology and social media, however, I think it’s time we take a step back and reflect on how we exist in our corners of the universe. Now is as good a time as any to make our online worlds just a little more meaningful.
To you, my fellow millennials, I extend a challenge!
10 things you can do to bring the art of neighbourliness online:
And last but not least, never forget the value of attentive face-to-face connection and real human experience – implement the cellphone pile once in a while!
This post was an excerpt from the "We Ponder" blog where it was originally published. Read the full post here, and check out other musings on"We Ponder"