Jan says: I am currently reading Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam, where he explores the changes in community in the USA in the 20th Century. He explains how communities, people, and especially children function better when they live where there is high social capital. Basically, it means that "relationships matter." We all know this because Christianity (and other religions) emphasize the Golden Rule: 'All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.' Matthew 7:1
So here are some questions to ponder for this Friday Five about connecting with:"
1. Self: Who was your hero/heroine when you were about ten years old? I think it may have been a tich later (or not...it's a ways back to remember) but I loved Maria in The Sound of Music and Jo in Little Women Both of them seemed real to me...people who felt deeply about things, were frightened and confused and yet went after the Big Dream in their lives.
2. Family: Who are you most like? Who is most like you? As a kid I was one of those ugly duckling children that that Clarissa Pinkola Estes wrote about who feels like she landed in the wrong family...Introvert to their extrovert, interested in all the "wrong" things...I really never felt much "like" anyone. We were not close-knit as far as extended family so I didn't really have the opportunity to find out if there was someone out there in the branches of the family tree who shared something with me, either. In retrospect though, I would have to say that my mother and I do share some characteristics. She was loyal and loving and spiritual and those are things I do see in myself. She also gave me some physical characteristics...some I cherish and some...well not so much!
3. Friends: How do you stay in touch? Face-to face when possible and when not....thanks be for all the tech...e-mail, blogs, facebook, phone (cell these days), skype, IM, text, and now and again....snail-mail.
4. Neighborhood, community: What are ways you like to be involved? It seems to kind of wax and wane...I did community theatre for a while, and also belonged to some other community groups when I was single but have let that lapse for now. I seem to be "nesting" which I guess is appropriate, and hopefully will move into a more involved and active season again at some point.
5. Job/church: Do you see a need that will help in developing connections? This sometimes is a tough one for me. I am a dyed in the wool introvert, and with two vocations that call me out into day long contact with people, sometimes what I want (and actually need) is to disconnect at the end of the day. And yet there are needs and calls and demands and expectations to be connected at church and in the community as well as my own desires to be in relationship with those I care about. It gets to be a balancing act sometimes, and one I don't think I have a good handle on sometimes.
Bonus: A link or anything else about connecting.
4 comments:
Jimmy Buffet is just plain fun. And I sometimes describe myself as an introvert with extroverted tendencies...which helps explain all the output that church leadership requires.....I so understand the need to come home at night and recharge in silence and stillness.
I love the song! I am an introvert who is being pulled to be more outgoing. . . at times. I think this tendency to be alone is one of the major reasons I decided that I was NOT called to the ministry. I like that you were involved with community theater at some time; something I would never do!
Ditto on the introvert thing. Funny how theater is an opportunity to stay introverted while appearing otherwise! It makes it possible to get all sorts of needs met. It's been a long time since I did any theater, but those were truly some fun days.
I sympathize with being an introvert in extrovert roles. It is difficult sometimes, for sure. JB works in the evening too. :-) I forgot about my community theatre, and right now I'm in a community choir. More about that on my blog and FB soon.
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