Blessed Unrest: Paul Hawkens indirectly writes about the livable neighborhoods movement
Posted by patriciamikkelson on March 18, 2008
Blog Blessed Unrest
Here’s an excerpt from BLESSED UNREST, by Paul Hawkins This book really instilled a lot of hope in me, and hope is always handy to have around! Here’s the conversation we had (me talking to his words written in his book) My words are in italics.
The earth’s problems are everyone’s problems, and what modern technology and the movement can do is distribute problem-solving tools.
That is why I am so excited about encouraging livable neighborhoods-even livable blocks. The tools are obtainable, doable, and manageable.
Not surprisingly, people don’t know that they count in such a mal-ordered, destabilized world don’t know that they are of value. A healthy global civilization cannot be constructed without building blocks of meaning, which are hewn of rights and respect.
Every time I speak to a neighbor or anyone respectfully—wave at them and smile, ask them meaningful questions like, “what would you do if you had a million dollars” those building blocks are being hewn.
What constitutes meaning for human beings are events, memories and small dignities, gifts that rarely emerge from institutions and never from theory.
Yes, we just need to do it. I just developed the habit of talking to and smiling at just about everyone I come into contact with. Something has shifted in me—I see everyone one as God’s child, special and loved and with a purpose. Feels a lot better than judging.
While they are organizing themselves into the largest movement in the history of the world, the movement only happens one person at a time. But how does one become an environmentalist, or human rights campaigner. There are no missionaries.
Actually, there are starting to be many Christians who see their missional work as being right smack in the middle of the neighborhood. The missional church means that people go out to the people to be the hands and feet of Christ, rather than bring people to the church. Also, I want to train people to be like peace corps volunteers or missionaries so that there will be a trained Neighborhood Orgtanizer in every neighborhood, and a community organizer in every city.
There are no postings offering lessons.
Things change fast these days. Go to my website. You will find lessons! I even link to groups that offer lessons!:Concerned individuals have to work it out for themselves and find colleagues that will mentor them. Mentoring is important. Part of the training is learning how to find the mentors, and also train mentors to be effective. Movements are the expression of changed attitudes and how each person comes to realize his responsibility to the greater whole is a unique experience. More and more books are being written where people share how they transformed their neighborhoods. Once it is done a few times, the only thing that needs to be done is to share it and duplicate over and over—keep refining and sharing information to ever more improve the process.
Science now knows that while still in diapers, virtually all children exhibit altruistic behaviors. Concern for the well being of others is bred in the bone, endemic and hardwired.
When children are raised in an environment where they are treated with respect and use such models as non-violent communication , these attributes easily blossom. We became human by working together and helping one another. According to immunologist Geral Callahan, faith and love are literally buried in our genes and lymphocytes and what it takes to arrest our descent into chaos is one person after another remembering who and where they really are.
This remembering comes from being nurtured as children, or healing our childhood wounds when we are adults. I yearn to help create environments where, as Dorothy Day stated, “we make it easy for people to be good.” In a neighborhood where people can attend a weekly community gathering I really think people will experience their goodness, and then perpetuate it throughout the week.
Thanks, Paul Hawkins, for your wisdom. I was glad to put in my two cents worth. You are a great listener 
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