There’s a saying ~ it takes a village to raise a child.  I said it last night during WeHangsDay because our friends’ are lucky enough to have a huge family network they can lean on for pet and child care when life gives a little squeeze on time.

The man and I have great families, but we’re not lucky enough to have both sets of “in-laws” only a phone call and 10-30 minutes away.

Which is why our little community ~ affectionately called “The Compound” is such a blessing.  We moved in nearly three years ago ~ as the only renters.  And as time has progressed, we have been welcomed into the family that is “The Compound.”  Recently I realized that I was nearly as protective of my compound family as I am of my actual family.  Yes, there are strong personalities and quirkiness, but no one is allowed to be dismissive of my compound family.

It’s a concept that has been marinating in my brain recently.  These people ~ whom the man and I didn’t know prior to August 209 ~ have become a family of sorts.  Doesn’t that speak to the nature of humanity?  Yes, our major common bond is vicinity, but if we scrape the surface of history, that’s a fairly strong reason to have a relationship.  Think of how often you are somewhere unfamiliar, and you meet someone from near where you live ~ an immediate kinship.  A very powerful thing, geography.

I’ve also become very aware of the tie between age and life perspective.  Maybe these ideas wouldn’t have been as important to me at 22.  But at 32, nurturing positive relationships of any kind is fairly crucial.  It helps sustain life; it helps create a life of fulfillment outside of work.  To me, there is very little more important than cultivating and nurturing strong and positive relationships with people of all backgrounds, generations and ideologies.  The Compound gives John and I a little piece of that.  And we are full of love and gratitude.

And now, in the infamous words of Gossip Girl, xoxo.