posted 7 hours ago
My thoughts:
1) it is some municipality—a geographical location
2) it is small, this is important because although the numbers are small,
3) The social connections run deep. Either through family, extended family or friendships. And therefore
4) Not only does everyone know everyone else, but there is a special social connection across the village. People support each other. Someone will have your back if something goes wrong.
My favorite example was Crainville, Illinois.
I will be shocked if anyone reading this post even knows where Crainville is. Crainville is sort of the suburban section of Carterville, IL. But calling it a suburb is preposterous. It is a smaller village tucked 3/4 inside of the slightly larger Crainville and really, the two make for one community.
I might have had the best set of random neighbors I ever had when I lived in Crainville. I moved there when I first started teaching. Being a last minute hire, there were few rental options, and although the house was a disaster, the neighbors were wonderful. I knew that I was moving into an area where roots ran very deep, and I wanted to be on people’s good side.
Being a first year teacher, I was overwhelmed with work. My only “me time” that I granted myself was a walk sometime between 4:00 and 6:00 each afternoon. I deliberately made myself a visible presence. I smiled, waved at people as they smiled and waved at me. It didn’t take long and I got to be known around the village as “the walking man.” I really didn’t have all that many face-to-face conversations, but when I did, I would get a replay of where I walked in days prior.
This might be off putting to some, but I put it to use. People knew that I left for work very early. My neighbor across the road was a janitor at a local grade school and he saw that I had left for the day before he ever left his house. Word spread that I was a hard, dedicated worker, teacher. When I got my water bill from the village, I walked right down and paid it as a part of my walk. And all of this had its intended effect.
Even though I was an outsider, I was informally invited into the community very quickly. My neighbors would always let me know if I let my headlights on in the truck (the alarm was broken). I would be gone for the summer (seeing my then girlfriend, now wife). Although I forwarded the mail, once the water bill came late enough that I had a late penalty. When I walked into the water office to pay, I asked if the late fee could be waived and the office manager immediately said of course, I was always the first every other month. I even had one woman try to set me up with her sister (I declined politely).
My point with all of this was that I went from being a total stranger to being a full member of the community with all of the social backup and protection it offered quickly. It pained me to move (from the community—the house was a dive!)
In a village, someone always has your back.
Eric
Some places need to be wild
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