This past week, one of the guys in our community noticed there was a San Diego wide Turkey Trot going down on Thanksgiving morning. It was then that he rallied our community in instigating our own neighborhood Turkey Trot clad in ridiculous outfits, homemade numbers and tons of laughs. Overnight we had 20 people participate and each person we jogged by on the streets of Golden Hill smiled and wanted to know more. It was an unexpected and unorthodox expression of good news.
There is something sacred when people come together to simply be themselves in a neighborhood and begin to invite others into that. New life comes about, friendships deepen and a shared vision begins to come forth.
Next year we will be posting flyers in our local coffee shops and markets to announce our 2nd Annual Golden Hill Turkey Trot 5k. We plan on following the race with a neighborhood breakfast in our backyard.
What are some ways you can create common spaces and practices for shared life within the natural calendar of events in your neighborhood?