If you are part of an HOA do you ever notice how you refer to your Homeowners Association? Personally, off the property it’s MY HOA. On the property with fellow residents, it’s THE HOA. And I guess for this writing I want to express appreciation for the ownership and privilege to be a part of MY HOA. We know, all HOA’s are different, and all must follow local city and state laws and policies. Whether appreciating or complaining we all can respond, I hope mostly appreciating, sometimes not.
Mine is a unique condominium property built in 1968 as apartments, turned over for sale as condominiums in 1978. I refer to the central HVAC system, providing heat and cool air, as “the physical heart of the community.” It’s housed in the utility room behind the pool. The soul or energy light of the community that keeps everything flowing is in a small condo office where the On-Site Management Team and Board of Managers take care of business.
This is my first HOA experience so firstly, it’s my physical home where I like to bloom and grow, right where I’m planted – so taking on ownership in this community feeds me. Secondly, there is a real sense of community as I hear most residents express connectedness and caring. Most of us love living here and refer to it as Our Village architecturally modeled after a European village. And where does that feeling of connectedness come from?
Stay with me now remembering that I am a student of consciousness and personal growth as I consider the meaning and mirroring. Could it be that one of the reasons for the connectedness comes from a sense of community and caring because we all share and are all connected by, yes, the HVAC system! Really – you’re making that leap Judy? Perhaps I am . . . one large utility building hub with tanks and pumps, state of the art digital equipment that monitors and moves hot or cold water through the piping system underground from the utility building through the alleyways and into each building. Over time I recognized that I was just a 246th part of a whole community in a way I had not felt before. Just knowing that we are all part of a whole integrated physically structured system was a life serving web of connectedness. I share some of the same heated or cooled water through the common shared pipes that keep my condo comfortable and me alive just like everyone else on the property. Follow me here? Did I just make that leap connecting the physical HVAC system to the caring and well-being feelings of the residents? YUP! I did! At least I sense and feel this way – I’m sure not everyone holds the same positive thought. II feel that have a responsibility to be mindful of how I use or abuse those systems as they service many and not just me.
Awareness that the outside world is only a reflection of my inner world generates emotions and feelings that I look at closely. We all experience life, some with the kind of awareness I’m talking about, others have no clue and that’s OK. So, if this jump from HVAC to a Feeling of Connectedness and a sense of community responsibility is too grand a leap for you so be it. For those of you ready to take a leap into conscious awareness I appreciate your indulgence, and maybe my connection will remind you to see connection to all and everything in your neighborhood, community, our country, and our world- it’s all there. Open up to the possibilities, find the he spark that links and maybe, just maybe, by focusing on the connection in a positive way you can be the difference and then make a difference.
Judy
