Friendship is Magic. No really.

Woo, first one to kick off the official HMVS blog, no pressure. Part of me feels like these posts are supposed to build to some grand lesson like an episode of Doogie Howser or My Little Pony (depending on your generation gap). I'll try to avoid that little cliché. Instead I think I'll talk a bit about community.

When I told people I was going to move into a house with a bunch of strangers the most common reaction was “You've never met these people. How do you know you won't drive each other crazy?” I suppose the short answer is “you don't” or even "we probably will". Some part of life in community is a leap of faith and the realization that everyone has flaws, even you, but they're just one part of what makes a household. I've heard plenty of stories about what can go wrong. What I don't hear about enough are the potential joys.

Community is the opportunity to make new best friends. My Saturday morning isn't just cereal and PBS anymore. Now Saturday means four people in a kitchen trying to make the same pancake (and still possibly PBS). Going to the park no longer means a leisurely adult-like walk while I stare longingly at the playground. Why would you feel sheepish if there are several of you dashing toward the swing-set? Every night is filled with stories and memories. Each community member has some new hobby to share, or place to take you, or person to introduce. Outside friends of community members quickly become inside friends (I call them our Plus 1's). There's no reason your community has to be limited to the original members. When you have a community you not only experience your own joys, but you share in the joys of everyone around you.

People are often resistant to the idea of living in non-family groups. In a society that praises independence and individuality it requires some manner of humility to admit it will be hard to work together and difficult to learn to trust. You go in understanding that there's no way knowing what you'll get, but that's what's so great about it! Not knowing who you'll live with means every day is a little adventure. I don't know about you, but, to me, that's worth a dirty dish or abandoned sock.

~Jennifer