Jennifer, you make a good point: "I think community is where you look for it and strive to make it." It's what we invest in a community that matters most (time, energy, emotion, and $$). I've seen really powerful examples of that online, and I've seen really crappy examples of physical neighborhoods filled with homeowners who don't know or care about each other at all. Maybe what needs to change is that more people need to see and experience the value of being a part of a connected, supportive community, so they'll have reason to become change agents in their own circles. Maybe one of the ways to make that happen is for those of us who have had these really positive experiences need to keep telling our stories about them. :)

Jason, I'm really glad you brought up the aspect of living in a very transient college town. That adds a whole dimension of complexity, that I've struggled with repeatedly since moving here. Also, I couldn't agree more with this: "It’s easier to go online and pick people whom you want to commune with than putting in the work to get along with neighbors you didn’t choose." Are we willing to be neighborly with everyone, or just with the cool neighbors we have a lot in common with? I have a tendency to over-romanticize ideas like community, but in reality, it's work. It's not just about inviting your favorite neighbors over for a cook-out. (Regarding your second comment, what "non-Christian church" do you go to?)

Cheryl, you wrote a guest post! I love it! :) The whole analogy to nature—the farther we get from it the stupider we become about the environment—is a powerful one. And the story about your life in your town? Amazing. You're right—very few people have every experienced anything like that. And while you and I might both be prone to romanticize such a community, you wisely point out that it has a "not-so-pretty" side. Simply being a solid community does not solve problems. As you say, "...even in a town that is weirdly small and connected, there is a disconnect, an abstract quality, about my “acts of compassion.â€ So much to think about here. I just might have to write a follow up post! (And Jim Palmer's first book, Divine Nobodies, just arrived yesterday! I'm going to start reading that before moving on to Wide Open Spaces.)

Rebecca, thanks for the inspiration! I'm very curious to see how it plays out, too. It's kind of exciting that we can all discuss and problem solve together as we look for new ways of doing these things. 

Daisy, I'm sure you're right. Each generation has caring, involved, curious people, along with careless, self-centered people. It's not as if the Baby Boomers or Gen-Xers have exactly set the gold standard for how community should work, or how we should care for others. These are the generations who built back decks and privacy fences and attached garages, which allow them to avoid interacting with others. Change isn't a bad thing, at all, but it's important to look at the past, to see what worked best and to have dialogue about how we can all move forward without completely trampling things we value most.