The Neighborhood of Appreciation
Neighborhoods come in all shapes and sizes: close-in abodes, spread-out spaces; a single floor of a building can be a neighborhood, or dirt road with a few mailboxes,... and all the variations in between. And there are neighborhoods within neighborhoods within neighborhoods: the floor of your apartment or dorm building, the entire building, the unique set of blocks around the building, the town or city the building is in, “upstate” or “downstate”, the state itself, the country, the continent, the planet, the solar system….
Whatever its shape or size, each neighborhood is a system, a collection of human beings who choose this place to take shelter, to store the treasures of their life, to rest and recover.
To call the same place “home” is a deep bond we have with our neighbors that we sometimes overlook. We may see the person across the street as very different from us: gender, religion, age, race, occupation, preference for paint color or diligence in lawn maintenance, choice of music… and yet we share the connection of being human, and coming “home” to the same neighborhood.
We may find that we pull into our garage and shut the door, or make the trip from the elevator to the apartment door without looking up and truly seeing our neighbors, seeing them for who they are: living, breathing, feeling, human beings like us who inhabit this area. What happens if we begin to make an effort to really see them in all their richness and complexity and, taking this a step forward, to actively notice the goodness in them.
Maybe it’s noticing that one neighbor collects another's papers when she is away, or taking in the aromatic smells wafting through the hall and imagining the care that a neighbor has for his family as he cooks them dinner each night. Can we systematically look around our neighborhood and appreciate some attribute in each person with whom we share this space? Even if it feels forced or inauthentic, trying it out with some curiosity.
After a few days of this practice, noticing what it feels when you turn onto your street, or when you climb the stairs to your floor, or when you walk into your building or dorm. Doing all of this with a sense of play and potential, leaving “shoulds” and “supposed tos” somewhere else.
Hoping you can join us this week as we explore our ability to appreciate those around us.
May all beings everywhere without exception see the goodness in others and feel at home in this world,
Your friends at CMP
Special Note: Holly Conetta will be offering her Sound Meditation on Monday at Ridgefield Library this week!
