I recently went to a presentation where the speaker discussed the idea of creating intentional communities as a way to stay healthy and balanced. She went on to say that she was recently divorced and found herself eating most meals by herself, so she decided to create an intentional community around shared meals so that she has the opportunity to eat with others on a more regular basis.

It made me consider what my intentional communities are in my own life. So often our communities are bred out of our immediate circumstances in life such as family, school, work or sports. We often have a cushion for social engagement thanks to our built-in family or work set-up. Yet these groups will inevitably transition or we may grow out of them as our circumstances change. And then what?

As humans, we are hard-wired for social connection. When our communities transition for whatever reason, we can sometimes find ourselves isolated in a new and uncomfortable way. For some, this isolation can be deafening - newly crowned empty-nesters, divorced individuals, or a widow or widower, for example. How can we cultivate intentional communities outside of our immediate, built-in groups in which we are already a part? What would it be like to intentionally identify a group outside of our immediate circle that could enhance our lives and support us in a new and different way? How can we expand our village so that we don’t suddenly find ourselves feeling isolated and alone because we have relied so heavily on our default communities?