Community

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"they're the people that you meet, when you're walking down the street"
Growing up in a small country town, the community around you is very important. My parents instilled in us a strong sense of community, participating in events that nurtured the town and supporting our neighbours as needed.
I then moved to boarding school - a large school, but with a small boarding section. That boarding house became my community for 2 years. 5 year levels of girls from many varying backgrounds, living together in close quarters, embracing each other as family. We laughed, cried, fought homesickness and bumbled our way through crappy teenage times, making friends for life. 
Moving to England, we became part of a different community. A group of people from all over the world, exploring a new country. We became each others families, celebrating birthdays, Christmases and holidays together, filling the gaps that would usually be filled by brothers, sisters and parents.
Since returning to Perth, we have lived close to the city centre and like most suburbs, there is limited interaction with neighbours around us. That sense of local community is not found in our neighbourhoods, so we need to look for our community elsewhere. A community that has become a big part of my life and I know will continue to be when we make our big move to quite an isolated area, is the blogging community. It has reached out and embraced me and allowed me to put my voice out there, regardless of how ill formed my sentences or grammar may be. I love reading a snap shot of people's lives, commenting on their posts, finding new blogs I can explore in the same way I used to devour books and slowly developing the confidence to share my love of crafting words. 
Over the last month, I have not posted on my blog. My words have been AWOL as I don't want what has been going through my mind lately to be written as words that represent me. I have however, still felt a big part of the community. I have still been part of the wonderful IBOT community that Jess has mention previously here, involved in commenting each week. I have had regular chats with the wonderful IBOT Allstars girls, Jess, Yvette, Lyndal, Rachel, Rhianna and Denyse, I have spoken to tweeps on twitter and lovely messages have been left as both comments on my blog and the blog Facebook page. I have even been for a long walk on a beautiful spring morning with fellow Perth bloggers Yvette and Felicakes (who says that bloggers don't get outdoors!!)
I suppose what I am saying is regardless of our relationships with our families and friends (I am so blessed on both fronts) we can all benefit from being part of a community. A group of people, with similar interests, that can support each other on life's journey.
Linking up today with the most awesome Jess from Diary of a SAHM for IBOT. Head on over to her wonderful community and read some amazing words.