It was our first day in our new house. We had just moved into a new community in Newfoundland from Nova Scotia due to my husband relocating for a promotion. I was sitting among the pile of boxes with my three-year-old daughter, and I was filled with a mixture of excitement, disbelief, and heavy loneliness with being so far away from my family and friends. I had a busy daughter and a whole house to unpack with no one to call for help. I decided to take my daughter outside to play, hoping for some relief from continuously asking her not to climb on the boxes.
Thankfully, we were outside less than five minutes before a neighbour walked by with a bunch of kids in tow. She waved, said hello, and told me she would be right back. After loading the older children onto the school bus, she walked back over and formally introduced herself, and invited me over for tea.
If I’m honest, I was shocked by her inviting me over so promptly since we were complete strangers. But my daughter was so excited by the idea that I followed this woman home. Thankfully, she only lived a few houses down and ran a small in-home daycare. We sat for hours in her backyard, watching the kids play and getting to know each other. Suddenly the neighbourhood transformed from a strange new place to finding out who lives where, what they did for a living, and their children’s ages. We bonded over both working in childcare and the difficulty of leaving my daycare kids behind in Nova Scotia.
Three years later, my husband was given a position back in Nova Scotia, and we were devastated. We had to decide between moving up the company ladder and this wonderful place we loved so much. We were part of something that grew more beautiful over time. We added new connections and traditions over a three-year period that we still mourn. Our family and friends back home were happy, but we knew we were losing something vital and not so easily found.
We all have our own ideas about what community means to us. Personally, I associate it with a feeling. A feeling of safety, support, and acceptance. A place that you know you belong without having to dig deeper for a why. I’ve experienced work communities where employees were particularly diverse in age, background, hobbies, and personalities, but they formed this wonderful family I cherished.
When I started at Saint Mary’s University, all my previous classmates from high school suddenly banded together. Whether we spoke during high school or not, we had become fused in our newfound vulnerability and instantly became each-others support system.
There are so many different communities in which we surround ourselves, and I am thankful for each one every single day. I know how lucky I am to be part of so many amazing people’s lives, and I know the fear of feeling alone. When I see children eating alone in the school cafeteria or a new family moving into our neighbourhood, I know in that moment I have the responsibility and privilege to bring them into my circle if they would accept.
The need has never become more evident than during COVID-19. With the recent lockdowns, we’ve all experienced isolation from our communities. We have all heard the horrible statistics of domestic abuse and suicide exponentially increasing these past months. Technology is a wonderful tool, but it does not replace the need for true contact and interaction in the community.
So, let’s realize our power in unity and go out and build something beautiful. Spread genuine smiles, support, and positive action into our various communities. Support local small businesses. Explain to our children the importance of including all. Every person has potential, and by supporting each other, we achieve community.
