In the past, "home" meant not just the building in which a person lived. "Home" embraced the street, the landmarks, and the special places in the neighborhood. Now many people throughout the world live in cities or urban communities and no longer feel a strong connection with the land on which these places are built. In some cities, however, communities are finding ways their streets can once again become part of people's sense of home and play a part in their sense of belonging. Many communities are working to bring back the variety of local native plants and animals that once lived there. People are discovering th need to nurture and to be nurtured by the unique character of the places where they live.
It takes time, as this book shows. But the choice is ours to make- having simply a place to live or, by understand the land and caring for it, belonging to a living home.
It truly inspired me b/c I sometimes have day dreamed about dh and I moving into an urban, perhaps even very urban setting. Often I would get this idea (from those around me) that I couldn't make a home, not with kids for sure, in a city. Too scary, too much crime, too messy...etc. I actually grew up very near if not practically in the city. And I loved it. I got to do a lot. There were parks, there were lots of walks downtown and in old town. I miss it. Of course that was (and is) a nice norther, not too big city in Italy.
I think for now dh and I plan to live outside of big cities, mostly b/c of cost of living since I will be staying home. Also b/c it is usually a nicer place for children, don't have to worry about traffic and such, kids can be out more, etc. But if we are ever to move into the city or, like I think of it, be called to reach out to inner city, I hope that I can make it my home.
Bottom line, no matter where I live, I hope I start planting seeds around me, bringing everything around my physical place of dwelling together. I think here in this very 'pro' individual society we forget that we are meant to live in community, that actually even the most introverted one of us thrives and lives better when living in harmony in community. Together we can do so much more for ourselves and the place we live in. It does start though with an individual's choice to reach out in small but tangible ways that everyone can benefit from.
P.S. I shared the 'amazon' link since you can view a few pages.
