On Facebook was a picture of Georgia O’Keeffe, staring seriously at the horizon. The text said, “If there is nobody to greet you in the morning when
you open your eyes and there is nobody to say goodnight, if you don’t ask anybody to be part of your day, is this freedom or loneliness?
When I lived on a tropical island the inhabitants formed my community. When I was married, the children and grandchildren were a specified group
of people with the last name Trump. When I lived at the Manasota Beach Club, I was an artist in residence and thus part of a community. The same held
true for the Hermitage Artists Retreat. All these were geographical places where the inhabitants had to deal with the weather patterns, the local rules
and food distribution. It created community.
A sense of community feels comfortable since we humans are social animals. As an artist, I also need to create solitary time, to reflect and contemplate
the deeper layers of the world. Those two, the longing for community and the sense of individual freedom have been important to me. I always have
been looking to balance the two in a satisfying way.
My American friend is in Amsterdam with me, also in search of community. She believes the Dutch understand this better. However there are not many Dutch
people living in the city anymore. I noticed the culture has changed. So how do we define our community? The Adult & Community Enrichment movement finds
a way to connect people with the same values in the Sarasota Area. Don’t miss out on it.
Registration begins Monday, September 11 of the Adult & Community Enrichment (ACE) at Sarasota County Schools, 4748 Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL 34233
ACE Office: 941-361-6590
