community shopping and precious souls

I'm community shopping. Quite simply, that means I'm deciding where I want to live next. More completely, that means I'm exploring what is essential for me in a community? In what sort of community will I most thrive? How do I recognize a healthy community? How do I recognize a community in which I'll be healthy?

Questions about community are always close to my heart. . . You might remember these from awhile back (and I'm still oh-so intrigued to hear any answers that come to mind):

What does your ideal community look like?
What do you value in your community?
What do you yearn for in your community?
What are you doing to support those aspects of your community?
How can you contribute to your community, helping to co-create your ideal community?

At this moment, the criterion that is most prevalent in my awareness is who makes up my community. It's not necessarily the specifics of particular people, but more that there is a well-rounded group of people that are engaging in the world based on their passions... and that the network that is created nourishes and supports all members of the community. My dreams always include communities in which everyone is giving to and receiving from their environment, in which contributing to and learning from one another and the system as a whole is a part of the foundation.

In my fantasy world, all of the people whose hearts are connected to my own, around whom my heart sings, are a part of my local community. In my reality world, I am so blessed and thankful for the technology which allows and facilitates the virtual closeness of these dear souls.

If you'd like to peak into a window of amazing souls... Check out these precious members of my community... and feel free to share with us how you would like to be remembered.

That's all for this piecemeal of a post!