WHAT HAPPENED TO COMMUNITY?

Things that have changed since I was a child.

Interaction between other beings. That seems to be on the verge of extinction. People don't talk to each other anymore like they used to. In the grocery store or on the streets. Its like we are in our own little bubbles. When was the last time you went to a friendly neighborhood barbecue? I'm afraid friendly neighbors are a dieing breed. Even when I try to be one people mistake kindness as a weakness and try to run the well dry. My grandma had this neighbor, Viola was her name. She always made lemon meringue pie. We would visit her in the afternoons, eat pie and she would paint my nails or something girly like that. When we left my grandma would have me cover my head and run home because there were so many bats in our neighborhood. She said they might get tangled in my hair so of course as a child I was afraid and excited all at the same time. These visits would take a couple of hours and were always fun. Most people today would rather spend those hours in front of the boob tub instead of getting to know there neighbors.

My mother used to take me to varies places on the streets of Los Angeles. We would pick a bench to sit on and watch people interact. We would do this for hours. It was quite entertaining. Back when people acknowledged other people that is. Just a few years ago I spent several weeks in the bay area. It seemed as if everyone had a cell phone stuck to there or right in there ear. So it actually looked like they were walking around talking to themselves. I kept turning around thinking people were talking to me, not a chance. In fact I got the feeling they would walk right through me if they could, I was so invisible to them.

In 1989 we lived in Santa Cruz, Ca. My children were four and six years old. It was just another day people busy doing there own things. When suddenly the earth shock like I've never seen it shake! A 7.1 earthquake! It was like being in a movie. Cars jumping toward us, tops of buildings falling to the ground. My children looking at me for help yet I could not even move just a couple of feet to grab them. It was all I could do to keep on my feet. What seemed like forever was just a brief moment. It was the next several minutes that was even more amazing. A man standing next to me in a suit in tie was asking me if I was alright. suddenly people cared about one another. There were businessmen assisting homeless people and visa-versa. There were no black and white, no he or she. For those moments and actually for days after we were all united. I was the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

Is that what its going to take to bring people together again? Some major devastation. Or maybe thousands more people will die lonely. Neither sounds very promising. But something needs to give.