Paquin Community living, being gratefull

Living here at Paquin, we enjoy many benefits of community living. Friends to share with, community functions, transportation, critter babysitting, people to watch out for our welfare, and and a support staff to assist us with our many needs and to share an 'open ear' to our rants and raves. They do their best to assure all parties involved are treated fairly without prejudice.

We enjoy our little 'castles' in the towers where we call home. But with community living, there are also downsizes, it just depends on how you look at them. Since we share common walls and close quarters, we may occasionally hear some loud noises, cats crying, dogs barking, T.V. sets, arguing, stereo's, or just plain ruckus's. This goes along with community living no matter where you are. In a church shelter, the armed forces, living at home with mom and dad, etc.

It is all in how we view, our perceptions of these minor occurrences that count. Is my neighbors T.V. on loud during the day? Do I know if she/he is hard of hearing? Do my neighbors cat/s or dog/s bark now and again? What do I do? Oh my, it's the end of the world!

First off, if it's during the day and reasonable hours, not at night all through the night, I might want to simply buy $2.00 earplugs before I demand that the neighbor throw their T.V. out, or have there animals vocal cords removed. We are all here for one reason or another and have to just plain get along with minor inconveniences. Some people here have 0(zero) income and have no choice. Others have disability income that is enough to where they could move into their own homes, trailers, rent or buy so they have no common walls or close quarters, but give up the sense of community living benefits. Most of us are just grateful that we have a place to call home throughout the 4 seasons.

In closing, I just want to re-point out the fact that this is indeed COMMUNITY living where we all have rights to live in our own homes as best we can with the creature comforts that we can. So compassionate thinking, rather than irrational thinking needs to be at play.

I am pleased with the kindness and friendships I have made here so far at the towers, I always remember I am the 'king of my little castle', NOT king of the Mighty Tower of Paquin!

- Keith