Exploring Community

I've been chatting off and on with a few friends about what it would look like to create a more environmentally-friendly way of living that is more cost-effective? Right now to live off the grid is still has significant start-up costs but it would be much more economical to group multiple families together and share this enviro-technology. The other benefit to living with multiple family units is instant community along with the shared cost-savings! Ever thought about communal living?

My wife and I lived in a house with 6 other single young adults for a year (98-99) while going through a leadership development program at Medeba, a Christian adventure-focused camp in Ontario. It took some getting used to as a married couple living with singles but I can honestly say that overall it was an amazing experience. We had our private bedroom to ourselves but every other aspect of the house was shared. We had a rotating schedule with meal prep and clean-up, menu planning and shopping, etc. We shared the costs of living, computers & internet, TV, phone, etc. There were obvious struggles and conflicts but I think we learned much about interpersonal processes and real community through it all. There would obviously be some added challenges having kids in that setting but perhaps the benefit of babysitters in the next room over would offset that!

Don't get me wrong I love the house we live in right now as a family, the space and privacy we definitely enjoy but we also love being with other people! Is there a way of designing a housing complex that allows for both privacy when you want it but the option of community for times of meals and other social events? Benefits of such a Utopian communal lifestyle: stimulating conversations, support for one another during times of struggle, a sustainable and more balance living with the sharing of responsibilities in the maintenance and operation of a home, etc.

As a person of faith, I try to follow the teachings of Jesus and I see a clear call for followers of His way of living to reach out to others, to be in community, to share with others, to help those in need. Our society seems so opposite: is all about personal gain, materialism, individualism, competitiveness, keeping busy, privacy, and the result is loneliness and under-developed relationships. Most families need two incomes to survive financially - at least with so-called luxuries we choose like two cars, large houses, etc. That means both parents work while our children are raised by a public school system or public/private daycare. Considering the blundering of our governments - why would you trust a "politician" to raise your children. I don't even want to start talking politics on a blog as there isn't a party that I can fully agree with. Power corrupts - politics needs to be minimized or it gets out of control.

Getting back to community! Picture this - a small farm-like housing complex with a central community room (made up of a living area, kitchen, dining, etc.) and then separate hallways that took you to private living spaces for family units that could be divided into rooms as well. Perhaps wind technology combined with solar to provide electricity, some type of a geothermal heating/cooling system, would bring down the monthly costs we all endure but clearly take away from our lifestyle. Anyways - this is just a musing and not anything too serious at this point but I think it is good to explore ways to live differently and obviously live in ways that do not harm the environment. Part of my faith system is quite clear in that we are called to be stewards of this planet and its resources.