[Xmas Day 3] What Do You Call The Spirit That Is In The Air, The Feeling That We All Share?
On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me...
Hello, friends of Yours,Yan
đOn the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me..Â
COMMUNITY
I grew up in a three-generational family, and still do. Despite being the youngest in my nuclear family, I never felt that way because I grew up with my cousins, grandparents and several aunts and uncles under the same roof.
As my cousins grew up and left, our community size began to shrink. Yet somehow this tradition lives on as my nieces live with my parents and me.
Every week or so, my cousins and aunts would gather at my house. I guessed my cousins still appreciate the real person-to-person connections, in this current culture of favoring-independence and constant bombardment of maintaining connection via technology and social media.
Most people are envious and impressed when I share this part of my childhood. If they ever visited my house, they would feel the warmth of this typical not-so-crazy rich asian family and secretly wish they had one, too.
Even my new neighbors noticed it and always enjoyed interactions with us.
I never really paid attention to the advantages of having this community in my life. I find myself jostling for space, queuing up to use the restroom (LOL), or just wanting some privacy and this led me to yearn to ârun awayâ or âjust do things aloneâ, or just being a semi-hermit by choice.
My appreciation for this community has grown by leaps and bounds over the past 3 years.Â
I have discovered that being part of a community has more benefits than I first thought.
Learning to respect each other space; aka getting to practice boundaries.Â
Learning to practice acceptance and true love. (True love is about forgiveness and acceptance of the othersâ strengths and flaws)Â
Learning communication skills (ooo, this includes both listening and speaking the right words, at the right time! And oh boy, frankly speaking, this is still one of the toughest one)
Sharing celebratory and pivotal moments in life ( the good, ugly and bad).
Most of all, that sense of feeling and assurance that someone has your back.Â
(Of course, that goes without saying that the type of community matters. If itâs an abusive one, it will do more harm than good. Then itâs time to leave)Â
My community has been there for me during and after my cancer years. They have been there in my entrepreneurship years, even till this day.Â
I guess you can say, I am feeling ultra-grateful for having this community in me this season. And that includes YOU, my readers.
Thank you for being part of my community, near or far.Â
đ DAY 3 GIFT FOR YOUR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Iâll like to invite you to seek a community to connect this season.
It can be a person, or a group of 4 or more - whatever suits your energy levels. It can be an online community or a Christmas potluck party.Â
If you find yourself making 101 reasons not to show up, perhaps flip the story and ask yourself â
âWhy deny yourself the possibility of a community?â
Is it your wounded ego speaking or is it really something else? If itâs about money, then flip the story again. Getting a bottle of spirited water doesnât cost much, or making a small dish if thatâs your thing. Sometimes, you can just be honest and tell the host.Â
Community cannot work without your presence.Â
And sometimes, your presence is worth way more than all the turkey and log cakes in the world.
I guess this is the reason reason why Mariah Careyâs âAll I want for Christmas is YOU!â continues to top the billboard charts every Christmas!
đ Your Turn
Share your best community memory with me. I am in the mood of listening to stories this season.Â
Would you like to host a community with me? Let me know.Â
Till Day 4 of Xmas-gifting,
Yours,
Yan â¤ď¸
PsstâŚRead and find out what my true love gave to me on
[Day 1] My 12 Days of Christmas Gift For Your Health and Well-Being
[Day 2] What I Have Been Noticing In The Wellness Space And It Is Irking The He** Outta MeÂ
đ QUOTE FOR THOUGHT
What is living, if not shared and experienced - Yan
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