2nd Annual Visit to Hugh's Room
I was at Hugh's Room in September for another concert to support a moms and babies program in Toronto. This time the soloists were Shannon Butcher and Barbra Lica.
What came home during the evening, however, was a sense of community. The musicians, those involved in the program present and the folks gathered in support shared a real sense of belonging -- enough that there was quite a bit of spontaneity.
We seem to have such a strong bias in favour of the individual and a commensurate suspicion of community, that these events become something we have to seek out.
What do we do when we gather together? We share our stories and sometimes our aspirations. We participate in music and poetry. Instead on focusing on why we gather, we could fruitfully observe some of the positive and creative behaviours that go along with it.
At the campfire, we look for someone with a guitar or maybe a ghost story. Media have given us the chance to broadcast this experience. A YouTube video can be watched by family and friends or anybody. In our fascination with new technology can we still hear an inner voice, one that wants to experience the intimacy of direct community.
Not too long ago we read at Sunday Mass, "Who is my neighbour?" The more we answer, "Yes," to this question, perhaps, the more we will begin to find the deep value of community.
What came home during the evening, however, was a sense of community. The musicians, those involved in the program present and the folks gathered in support shared a real sense of belonging -- enough that there was quite a bit of spontaneity. We seem to have such a strong bias in favour of the individual and a commensurate suspicion of community, that these events become something we have to seek out.
What do we do when we gather together? We share our stories and sometimes our aspirations. We participate in music and poetry. Instead on focusing on why we gather, we could fruitfully observe some of the positive and creative behaviours that go along with it.
At the campfire, we look for someone with a guitar or maybe a ghost story. Media have given us the chance to broadcast this experience. A YouTube video can be watched by family and friends or anybody. In our fascination with new technology can we still hear an inner voice, one that wants to experience the intimacy of direct community.
Not too long ago we read at Sunday Mass, "Who is my neighbour?" The more we answer, "Yes," to this question, perhaps, the more we will begin to find the deep value of community.
