Caring for Each Other - Town Hall Meeting?

[Deb]

"I'd like to actually have a place where we could have threads about other
things, like the Town Hall Meeting coming up Sept 21. Where we could get
heated and passionate about how we can plan to take care of everyone we
have in our community....put VALUE into each other, respect each other's
personal choices." JJane

Jane, I think this is a GREAT topic for conversation. I am not sure where you are coming from or where you want to go with it, but it sounds similar to a big conversation I have been having with my close circle of friends.

As I face the challenges in my life and others'; aging, serious illness, physical disability, emotional breakdown, I am brought to the question "How do we care for those we love when life is so darn full already?" and "How am I going to be cared for if/when the need comes?"

I have friend who was recently diagnosed with lymphoma. I tried to organize a "share the care" group for her and found that most people were unwilling to do a "group thing". Now the job of organizing her care falls on the people who are most stressed out. I am completely capable of taking on the job of organizing... from time to time. I can't do it full time, but I could do it with a team. Fortunately my friend is doing well with the chemo, way better than expected, so friends checking in everyday and spontineity is working.

I have another friend who just, basically, died of depression. He was on a very altering anti-depressant and ended up drinking too much alcohol. His friends were a phone call away and yet he was paralyzed by the depression. He had been calling out for help, but no one could give him what he needed. He had just moved in to a place by himself and realized he needed to live with people. So he was alone when he shouldn't have been.

I have another friend who can't do massage like he used to. He is almost eligible for social security, but not yet. Now he is without work, home or health insurance.

There are many of us that are living outside the box of corporate care by choice. We are trying to make it in a world in a way that seems a little more sane to us. Unfortunately, I don't think that many of us on the fringe are looking at how is it is going to be as we become less capable of taking care of ourselves.

We are often fatalistic. We trust that everything will just work out, that God has a plan, if we are just clear and pray that we will be fine, we will find the right people who value us and will be willing to care for us.

I, personally, am grateful for all the support that rained down on me after my accident three years ago. I was in a wheelchair for 3 weeks and out of work for three months. I was deeply touched by the actions of my friends and community. But if I didn't have Uncle Visa and a $30,000 credit limit I don't know what I would have done. Just navigating the system is a full time job.

Now I am studying design and architecture, and want to learn more about intentional communities, permaculture and alternative elder care. I want to explore new models of living, aging and dying.

I don't know anything about the town hall meeting, but Jane's comments got my attention. So...here's the tread.

[wildflower]

"On Sept. 21, the City of Sebastopol will host the second of three Fall town hall meetings; this one will be on “Adapting to An Increasingly Scarce Energy Supply.” Richard Heinberg is scheduled to “jump-start” the discussion, which is for community members to speak freely about the issue and designed to lead to a citizen’s advisory committee to consider what can be done locally. For more information, contact Mayor Larry Robinson."

I LOVE that we are talking about these things, Jane & Deb.....let's keep doing it and create the community we WANT to live in together!This is ALL connected.

LOVE
wildflower

"I'd like to actually have a place where we could have threads about other
things, like the Town Hall Meeting coming up Sept 21. Where we could get
heated and passionate about how we can plan to take care of everyone we
have in our community....put VALUE into each other, respect each other's
personal choices." JJane

Jane, I think this is a GREAT topic for conversation. I am not sure where you are coming from or where you want to go with it, but it sounds similar to a big conversation I have been having with my close circle of friends.

As I face the challenges in my life and others'; aging, serious illness, physical disability, emotional breakdown, I am brought to the question "How do we care for those we love when life is so darn full already?" and "How am I going to be cared for if/when the need comes?"

I have friend who was recently diagnosed with lymphoma. I tried to organize a "share the care" group for her and found that most people were unwilling to do a "group thing". Now the job of organizing her care falls on the people who are most stressed out. I am completely capable of taking on the job of organizing... from time to time. I can't do it full time, but I could do it with a team. Fortunately my friend is doing well with the chemo, way better than expected, so friends checking in everyday and spontineity is working.

I have another friend who just, basically, died of depression. He was on a very altering anti-depressant and ended up drinking too much alcohol. His friends were a phone call away and yet he was paralyzed by the depression. He had been calling out for help, but no one could give him what he needed. He had just moved in to a place by himself and realized he needed to live with people. So he was alone when he shouldn't have been.

I have another friend who can't do massage like he used to. He is almost eligible for social security, but not yet. Now he is without work, home or health insurance.

There are many of us that are living outside the box of corporate care by choice. We are trying to make it in a world in a way that seems a little more sane to us. Unfortunately, I don't think that many of us on the fringe are looking at how is it is going to be as we become less capable of taking care of ourselves.

We are often fatalistic. We trust that everything will just work out, that God has a plan, if we are just clear and pray that we will be fine, we will find the right people who value us and will be willing to care for us.

I, personally, am grateful for all the support that rained down on me after my accident three years ago. I was in a wheelchair for 3 weeks and out of work for three months. I was deeply touched by the actions of my friends and community. But if I didn't have Uncle Visa and a $30,000 credit limit I don't know what I would have done. Just navigating the system is a full time job.

Now I am studying design and architecture, and want to learn more about intentional communities, permaculture and alternative elder care. I want to explore new models of living, aging and dying.

I don't know anything about the town hall meeting, but Jane's comments got my attention. So...here's the tread.

[tomcat]

Just a thought...
It would be great if there were a "community" in West County that could come together at some point as we get older and we could all somehow live out our lives in old age in some nice home for old hippies. Perhaps there is.

Some folks are well off and will be fine by themselves. Others will be taken care of by their kids. Those who have nothing will depend on the government to take care of them...(That could be scary!)

I've often thought that buying some land somewhere in the hills and starting an alternative mobile home park would be a great idea, but like any other idea, it takes dreaming, planning, saving, dedication and cooperation...and in the end, only those with enough money could participate.

Personally, I am working, planning and saving for retirement, trying to put my kid through college and also enjoying life as much as I can right now cause... who knows what the future holds?

I'd say, expand your network of friends and keep them close, enjoy life to the fullest and laugh a lot.

All the best,
Tom S.



"I'd like to actually have a place where we could have threads about other
things, like the Town Hall Meeting coming up Sept 21. Where we could get
heated and passionate about how we can plan to take care of everyone we
have in our community....put VALUE into each other, respect each other's
personal choices." JJane

Jane, I think this is a GREAT topic for conversation. I am not sure where you are coming from or where you want to go with it, but it sounds similar to a big conversation I have been having with my close circle of friends.

As I face the challenges in my life and others'; aging, serious illness, physical disability, emotional breakdown, I am brought to the question "How do we care for those we love when life is so darn full already?" and "How am I going to be cared for if/when the need comes?"

I have friend who was recently diagnosed with lymphoma. I tried to organize a "share the care" group for her and found that most people were unwilling to do a "group thing". Now the job of organizing her care falls on the people who are most stressed out. I am completely capable of taking on the job of organizing... from time to time. I can't do it full time, but I could do it with a team. Fortunately my friend is doing well with the chemo, way better than expected, so friends checking in everyday and spontineity is working.

I have another friend who just, basically, died of depression. He was on a very altering anti-depressant and ended up drinking too much alcohol. His friends were a phone call away and yet he was paralyzed by the depression. He had been calling out for help, but no one could give him what he needed. He had just moved in to a place by himself and realized he needed to live with people. So he was alone when he shouldn't have been.

I have another friend who can't do massage like he used to. He is almost eligible for social security, but not yet. Now he is without work, home or health insurance.

There are many of us that are living outside the box of corporate care by choice. We are trying to make it in a world in a way that seems a little more sane to us. Unfortunately, I don't think that many of us on the fringe are looking at how is it is going to be as we become less capable of taking care of ourselves.

We are often fatalistic. We trust that everything will just work out, that God has a plan, if we are just clear and pray that we will be fine, we will find the right people who value us and will be willing to care for us.

I, personally, am grateful for all the support that rained down on me after my accident three years ago. I was in a wheelchair for 3 weeks and out of work for three months. I was deeply touched by the actions of my friends and community. But if I didn't have Uncle Visa and a $30,000 credit limit I don't know what I would have done. Just navigating the system is a full time job.

Now I am studying design and architecture, and want to learn more about intentional communities, permaculture and alternative elder care. I want to explore new models of living, aging and dying.

I don't know anything about the town hall meeting, but Jane's comments got my attention. So...here's the tread.