Life in a northern town.

What is a community? According to Merriam-Webster, community is a unified body of individuals; such as the people with common interests living in a particular area broadly; the area itself.  Furthermore, community is a group of people with a common characteristics or interest living together with a larger society. A community can come in different shapes and forms. For instance, community can be a group of like minded individuals who congregate online.  A community can also be a group of individuals of the same gender, sexual orientation, profession, age, political views, religious beliefs, etc. So what constitutes a community to you -- the people, culture, location, resources or all of the above?  For the purpose of this blog, I will focus on the term community which refers to a physical place where one resides.

Thirty-two years ago, I was a former military brat who attended ten schools by the time I graduated from high school.  I never stayed in one place for more than four years.  Needless to say, I experienced my fair share of communities in a short span of time.  In the military, communities consisted of everyone who lived on the military base which includes members of the armed forces, military wives, and their children.  On weekends and holidays, I traveled beyond the military walls when I visit friends and family who lived in communities that was quite opposite of what I was accustomed to.

When it came to looking for my first home it was very important that I found a community that made me feel like I belong.  Unlike military life, I didn't have anyone tell me where to live and for how long.  

In this blog, I will discuss the qualities and attributes that influence my decision to live in Royal Oak. I will also address issues that threatens the characteristics and culture of my community, such as overdevelopment and other outside influences that continues to define the characteristics of my town.

By the same token, I hope you'll use this blog as a forum to share your stories about your city or town, big or small, rural or urban, and to give you the opportunity to voice your concerns of the changes that's impacting the characteristics of your neighborhood and community.