True Communinity Rare and Precious

Community is a really, really big thing. In fact, "community" is one of those words - like God, love, being or consciousness that's too large to submit to any one, simple definition. It's parts definately sum up it's whole and yet they wouldn't exist without the veil of the whole. A dynamic slurry of people, institutions and events bound together by threads of communication, history, trust, time and place. A community also has to be about something. It has to have authenticity. It needs focus and it's members must feel that they are part of something bigger than themselves.


So where does community not happen? Look around. Pick any suburb, of any class or structure and analyse. People are so civilized, self dependant and absorbed that they do not need their closest neighbours. Interaction of any kind is becoming very rare. In a typical suburban environment concrete guides people right to their front doors, and neighbours have been conditioned to "mind their own business". It seems like the more cement the less merry. To test this theory visit Young Street in Toronto and make a point of saying "hello" to passers by. Their reactions are almost always nonexistant. Extended family or community is definately corroding.


Is Monmouth Road a community? You bet it is. In fact it probably keeps the company of less than a handful of others in all of Windsor. It's attributes are certain. The street has a rich history which we are all highly aware of. It's members are about something which is the maintenance and preservation of this unique place. We collectively care about what role this street has to play in the future. Where it is going. We are also aware that we too are involved in it's history. Communication has always been key in this neighbourhood. We are spontaneous and not afraid to connect with our neighbours. Where else can a wine and cheese party evolve on any given front lawn from a mere and singular act of washing a car. Something happens because something happens because something happens. As we all know, these opportunities are never rare. We even fight gracefully. Resolve almost always comes from mutual respect.


In truth, our Monmouth Road community is all of the above but what really sets it apart from any other is that we have each others back. Something worth coming home to every day.