I saw the first robin of spring back in February. He quickly landed in a tree before he took off again. I was reminded how last year about June, I was standing in my front yard and a young man stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, poked something with a twig, and took a picture before he walked on.

I went to look and found a baby robin. I knew he would be cat food in minutes because of the feral cats that come to my yard. I picked him up, took him inside, and then went to the fishing store for a flat of worms. I went and bought worms when I had a whole backyard of them just ready for the digging.

Rethinking that is what Abundant Community is about. Getting what we need right here in our neighbourhood. That means that when my neighbour goes on holidays, she doesn’t have to ask her sister from the west end to come feed her cat. She can just ask me. There’s a neighbour who’s willing to come over and help me paint and I drive him to the grocery store.

About a third of people living alone say they feel lonely. This affects the health of people, their sense of well-being, and security. We want our neighbours to share their experiences, thoughts, and skills with the rest of us so that we will all be too engaged to feel lonely.

When we need something we won’t have to go to an agency or a service provider, we will find someone right here to help us and we’ll find ways to repay their generosity by giving them a hand with their needs.

The first step is finding out what skills, gifts, and experiences people in our community have. We will do that by finding leaders who will act as block or floor connectors. So if you’ve been a leader in the past and want to feel that enthusiasm again or if this will be your first time taking charge of a project, even if you’re not sure how to do it, this is your chance.

And when the block connectors show up at your door, this could be a really good conversation. Aren’t the best conversations we have about ourselves? Moi thinks so.

PS. I released last year’s robin at Stock’s Greenhouse in Sherwood Park where he had the choice of open sky or shelter. He chose open sky.

Manon is a resident of Boyle Street, a former member of the BSCL Board, and an active volunteer in the community.