Peace In The Community

Three years ago we moved to a village and for the first time in my adult life, I joined a community. I joined a mother and toddler's group and over time have forged great friends, supporters and laugh-out-loud moments.

On Sunday, I held a birthday party for my four year old son in the village community hall. I dressed as superwoman and my hubby as a power ranger. We terrorised and entertained a group of 4 year olds for a period of 2 hours. It was probably the longest two hours of my life! But I also had moments of utter happiness.

Happiness to see my little lad running about with his mates but also that our family was part of a community. These women, mothers of the village were now my friends and helped me set up the hall and blew up balloons and washed the dishes afterwards.

I felt supported and felt that 'group witnessing' thing where we watched in despair/pride as our little ones alternatively had tantrums and did star turns. We were revelling in/surviving parenthood because we had each other to lean on and to share with. This support makes me very, very happy.

When I lived in London, I had no real local community to be part of. When I had my son Charlie, I didn't join any mother's group because the plan was always to move from our flat to a house in the country. It took us 18 months to find somewhere. I was on my own with my new baby (well, my husband flitted in and out) and it was one of the loneliest periods of my life.

So what am I learning? Being part of a community and being supported by that community makes me happy. The other mummys are like me - slummy/dummy mummies with nothing to prove and everything to give/learn.

They are kind and down to earth and make me laugh. So it's important who your community is....ie if they're your 'tribe'. Finding my tribe to hang out with makes me very happy.

I have always naturally done that at work....I have created my Big Leap community in my coaching company but never done that where I live.

And I love it.

Comments

[Diana Roberts]

Hello Suzy,
Yes, I agree, it's very important to have your "tribe". I can really identify with that. I'm living in Gran Canaria and while all my family and 'best friends' are in England, I have "my tribe" at the gyms I frequent. I'm a Yoga teacher and Personal Trainer and a real fitness freak. My tribe are the people I see on a regular basis at the different gyms I go to. They're not generally people I would talk to at great length, but people that share the same passion as me. The conversation is usually fitness-based, but there's that community feeling of belonging which leaves you with that feel-good feeling.
It's invaluable when you're living abroad alone!
Diana

[Ben]

Diana,

you are soooo right!

A shared passion is the glue of any Tribe.

Ben