Turning the Teaspoon Inward

A number of people have emailed me with questions like: "Is Liss OK?!" "What can I do to help?"

In response to one person, I basically said: "Yes, Liss is OK -- she's taking time to feel and think and consider what she needs in order to keep her role at Shakesville healthy and sustainable for her, while also creating a community that is healthy and sustainable."

I suggested to the person inquiring, and want to suggest to the entire Shakesville community, that there may be a very good way to "help" both Melissa and the community in general.

If this community feels like "yours" too -- if it matters to you, and benefits you, and moves you forward, or inspires you -- if you've already donated and you want to know what more to do, or you're not able to donate money but you want to know what you can do -- I'd like to suggest that, during this time while things are quiet at Shakesville, that those of us who consider ourselves a part of this community do what Melissa is doing right now -- that we consider our roles here, and how to play them in ways that are healthy for us and healthy for the community -- that we think about what we are bringing to the community, and what we take away, and whether that's in balance.

For me, that's a great exercise even if (horrors!) Shakesville didn't continue -- to mine the wealth of my experience here, and understand what works and what doesn't, what moves me forward or holds me back when I enter into something that I dearly desire -- a sense of a broader, more diverse, and progressing community.

Just a suggestion.

(Note: If you've emailed me and I haven't responded, please give me a nudge. I'm not ignoring you -- I've been extremely busy the past couple of days.)