filed in Daily Life
How to Stay Afloat
My happily married parents had a wide circle of friends with whom they regularly socialized. There were weekly games nights in the neighborhood, monthly trips into Manhattan for dinner and theater, and the annual, raucous New Year’s Eve bash complete with noisemakers, pointy hats and party games. The group also rallied for the tough times – the hospital stays and the funerals. It was a potent lesson about the bonds of community and it has served me well.
Stability by Laura Berger
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8 comments for “How to Stay Afloat”
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Sounds like the bright side of a John Cheever story. Somehow those kinds of groups of friends (always couples, right?) seem particular to the 1950s to me. But maybe that’s just because it wasn’t my parents’ model and I know it primarily through books.
I think the essence of the model still holds true. I’ve built in rituals with my friends (even if slightly more modern) to make sure I see them regularly.
I’m curious, what your rituals are? 🙂
In San Francisco, I had a standing Monday night date with friends. Here’s a post describing it, http://goo.gl/6cBgqm
This reminds me of how my mother describes her parents (raising their kids in the 40s & 50s). I read a book once that said that back then it was easier for women to connect since most were at home and had more time and interest in connecting. Nowadays everyone is too “busy.” I think some people are lucky enough to carve out this kind of community today, but by and large it’s becoming a thing of the past. Though I hope I’m wrong.
My parents both worked, but were still very committed to their group of friends. I don’t think it’s about a moment in time, but a concept of the need for community.
True. It is probably more about actually finding and connecting to those people who are committed to creating and nurturing a community. They aren’t easy to find, it seems, but when you do find them, it’s gold.
Trying to create community when I first moved to Los Angeles was really challenging. Everyone had their own networks of people and I couldn’t break through. And then, for the first time in my adult life, I joined a synagogue (which so happens to be a super cool one.) Most of my community has flowed from there.