Page 16 - C.A.L.L. #46 - Summer 2020

One community near Berlin, Germany

As a smaller, rather elderly community on average (11 adults, 4 children, 4 people over 65
years) with several individuals at an increased risk of dying from corona, we have decided to
continue to allow the few children to have individual external contacts, while protecting the
elderly as much as possible. This means that the crack goes right through our community.
The old and the young have been separated from each other as much as possible. The
common room and the canteen kitchen are no longer used by the two families with children
and are reserved for the older members.

So the older members come into contact with the younger ones and the children only
sporadically, outside in the yard or on those very rare occasions when we sit around the fire
in the evening (sitting on opposite sides). Of course we support each other: The younger
members do most of the shopping for the older ones, if something has to be bought from the
city (otherwise we order it wholesale) – and the older ones cook for the families. Since the

younger ones are extremely busy at home studying or working and looking after the children
at the same time, their participation in the plenary session and in community activities
(cleaning up the yard, working on construction sites) is very limited. New sub-communities
are emerging in the yard: the older ones are moving closer together and we, the parents and
the children, have also moved closer together. We cook and eat lunch together every day,
take turns in child care – we now have our own “Waldkita” for 4-5 children – and exchange
thoughts, feelings and now and then a hug – rare and very precious, touching outside of the
circle of our own nuclear family.

It is beautiful how we support each other, but sad not being able to be together with the
older ones anymore. Unfortunately, the communication does not shift to other channels, it
simply does not take place anymore or only very selectively. I cannot imagine at the moment
that this will last longer than 19 April; and yet I suspect that we will have to maintain this
separation for a long time to come – what will this do to us as a former intergenerational
community? And spun further, because I experience our community again and again as a
reflection of the processes of society as a whole – what will this do to our society, that we
are forced to shut ourselves off from each other for such a long time?

Our elders have decided not to see their children and grandchildren for the time being. And
so we have also put the process of getting to know each other for several families on hold.

However, I now doubt whether this decision is correct. At least we younger ones, who partly

work, shop and look after children anyway (also single children who do not live with us), could
take the “risk” and continue the process – slower maybe, but still: continue.

Valley of Peace, Portugal

We’re still open. The reason is, we have a roommate who can see the aura and he is deciding
at the moment if and whom we accept.

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