I come from a small town and know firsthand that change is not always widely accepted or embraced. But in light of this pandemic, I’ve seen our community rally together and change has happened organically and fast.
A few weeks ago, my local church had planned its annual Irish Stew night. 24 hours before the event, we got notice that large gatherings were to be cancelled or suspended. This is a big social event for our church members and community, and cancelling it meant socializing would be lost. So, we got creative.
This made me wonder if people are having difficulty finding creative ways to deepen community in this time of social distancing. I remember hearing this term and automatically stopped being social. I even slowed my communication with family and friends. I felt that I needed to go into a bubble and hide with my family. But I recently had a conversation with a co-worker who had read about re-framing it to “Physical Distancing and Social Solidarity”
What does that mean? Keeping our distance (2 meters) but committing to finding ways of being social. At Tamarack, we have been scouring the internet, talking to family, friends, and member networks to find stories of people creatively deepening community while keeping a distance. In my personal life, my husband is calls people in our community who are isolated to say hi and offer to bring groceries (we’re even giving away eggs from our chickens). I also got a message from a local restaurant giving away free meals asking people to identify those who could use those meals. Small community…big change!
During these time, I pray and hope that you all find joy in being socially creative while practicing physical distancing.
Some great stories from around the world to get you inspired:
If you have a community story that you want to share, I would love to hear from you. Please email me at heather@tamarackcommuinty.ca.