Catherine,
Many thanks for the thoughtful response. I hope my answers to your questions are sufficient. This is a new medium of communication for me, and I am still getting acquainted.
"Are you considering a rural area? " Living outside of the city sounds beneficial in a number of ways: looking up at a starry night sky, being able to garden and raise animals, being away from all of the many different municipal wastes. However, where I am from, the majority of rural areas are not so pollution-free either. They are littered with heavy/light industrial facilities and the accompanying chemical runoff (now I do live adjacent to the largest river in the country and the surrounding petrochemical corridor). That's not even mentioning the hundreds of thousands of acres of chemically treated agricultural lands (sugar cane and soybeans). It would be fair to say I need to find out much more about other rural areas in the country. That's partly why I started this thread. The world seems foggy outside of my ideas and reasonings, and I am not sure what to expect. The unknowingness seems romantic in certain ways and insidious in others.
"Small groups of people tend to differ when it comes to certain ideas or values they perceive to be more important than the group." To be honest, I haven't had all of that many experiences living within a small or large group. Without the experiences, it is somewhat difficult to define my self. I will say, the thought of moving into a small or large, unknown community does sound a bit intimidating. It's difficult to know what's what at this point.
"Are you and your significant other party goers? Or prefer a quiet life where you can each do things alone and together mostly independent of a group?" In the past, my companion and I have enjoyed many social events. We've attended plenty of parties, watched sporting events in large groups, went to musical performances/festivals, etc. Over the last few years, my emotions regarding these events have begun to shift. I see them more and more as acts of individual indulgence, often based on substances and letting go of stress brought about by the 9-5 lifestyle. I see this as more of an issue with the types of events near me, rather than the idea of an event itself. I love communication, feasting, and sharing experiences with others. It would be fair to say I am still developing as an individual and an awareness of what I want is not yet clear. My alone time is something that I equally value and I can imagine that a balance between the two is necessary and varies among individuals.
"Do the two of you share similar dreams and visions about living out your lives? What are those dreams and visions? How do you plan to grow together?" The two of us share in many dreams and visions. Both of us desire to live a healthy and more intimate life with the world around us; appreciating what we have and not wasting, remaining present in the moment, maintaining an awareness of the environmental/social pulls that surround us. We plan to support each other and remain together as we continue to develop as individuals. We view having a comfortable place to live with our physical/mental/spiritual needs met as an important part of reaching our full potential.
"What type of group or community does each of you feel you will most easily blend with and be content interacting with?" Lately, it seems that each time I find myself amongst a new community, I notice that they really aren't that much different than the last. Please consider, I am working with a relatively small sample size. A brief description of groups I frequently encounter is working consumers that conform to what is "normal" as a result of numerous hidden/unspoken fears of what is "different". They often question things outside of the spectrum of normality and cast doubt upon future innovations and possibilities (both for the self and the group or society). I would place the majority of my family and friends into this group. Even while I feel very different than these individuals, portions of my current self would still likely fall within their group. Groups are sticky for me... I suppose one could say that I am still trying to find my self and to live a life that falls completely in line with my principles and values. Is this possible? I wonder.
"What are your expectations of community? As individuals and as a family unit, what will you bring to a new community?" Pulling these thoughts from within, an ideal type of group or community for me in this moment would be one based on love, understanding, and discipline. A place where individuals could discuss ideas and take action, work hand in hand and rest side by side, suffer and rejoice, together! A place where individuals are allowed to be who they are within any moment and have support from those around them. A place where lessons can be learned from mistakes and where confidence can be placed in a functioning system, a system that nurtures and protects.
As individuals, we are very different and very similar. We are still growing and developing. We offer both unique and ordinary features: will-power, intelligence, humor, creativity, compassion. We are interested in many different things: philosophy, history, literature, the sciences, architecture & engineering, mathematics, the arts, singing and playing music, dancing, being still, gardening, farming, foraging, speaking, writing, reading, creating, baking, working with natural fibers, outdoor sports, games, story-telling (to list a few)
I'll be back to answer the last two questions tomorrow. Good night!
