Page 5 - C.A.L.L. #47 - Winter 2020/2021

friend’s house, decide what game we were going to play that day, dress up, and hit the

sidewalk. Our mothers wouldn’t see us home until dinner.

We would spend all day playing out our elaborate imaginary games: We’d be orphans running
away from the orphanage, we’d set up camp and start some mud soup for dinner. If the boys
ever found their way into our game, they would have to be the “bad guys”; we would run from
them, through the common house, down the green road to the garden and onto the
trampoline. Through unsupervised play, we gained independence, creativity, as well as rooted
communication skills.

Communication is everything

If conflict arose between us kids, we were taught the importance of nonviolent
communication. For example, my best boy friend and I loved to fight with swords; we were
usually Zoro and Elena or Lancelot and Guinevere. When it came time to pick out our clothes
and character for the day, the adults around ensured that Riley and I used our words to get
what we wanted — instead of hitting each other immediately, which of course was what we
wanted to do.

This simple reliance on verbal
communication from such a young age
proved to be more valuable than I could
have imagined, and it would even set me up

for success when I went off to college.
There, I was sharing ideas and space all
over again — except this time, I got to
show students from all different
backgrounds the value of what was
instilled in me so young. Throughout my
life, this positive communication has
improved my work, relationships, and
creative endeavors.

If given the opportunity, would I raise my
future children in cohousing? Absolutely.
In the end, the pros outweigh the cons. I
feel incredibly grateful that I experienced the childhood I did; being raised by a literal
village provided me with a great sense of love, shelter, and what we all seek: community and
connection. I learned how to empathize and walk in someone else’s shoes.

There is wonderful value in humans working together to create something so special and
sacred together, and each one of those 15+ adults — as well as the kids — in Tierra Nueva
taught me and supported me in ways I will never forget.

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