Cohousing and my Fantasy Future
I first learned of the concept of fantasy future in a group therapy session when I was at a Commonweal Cancer Helping Program retreat. We keep in our minds a vision of our future, but that future is a fantasy. It is a future that is never going to be.
One of my neighbours reminded me of this idea, when she suggested that I needed to let go of what I thought (my vision of the future) our community would be, so that I could celebrate and be happy with what our community is. I had to let go of that fantasy future I was holding on to.
I was part of the evolving community that built Treehouse Village Ecohousing. We joined in 2019, started construction in 2021, and moved in during the summer of 2023.
Cohousing is a form of community where every household has their own private space, in addition to access to shared spaces and amenities. In our case, we are owners of our own condo, with a full kitchen, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. We are also co-owners of a shared common house, a workshop, basements spaces that include a gym and ample bike storage, and a forest with walking trails. We don’t have a condo management company, rather, members of the community do everything to maintain the common spaces.
As you would expect, getting 30-households to agree on things isn’t easy, and people aren’t going to always agree on everything.
I had created this fantasy about how we would operate as a community, and that is not the reality. This was making me unhappy. I felt that the community could be better, which isn’t a bad thing, just that I let it make me feel bad. I felt bad because I wanted more. I wanted the fantasy.
Letting go of the fantasy has helped me see all that makes me happy about living here. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I’d love driving a tractor to clear snow.
I love that:
I have neighbours that I can call on when I’m feeling lonely or in need of someone to talk to.
My puppy dog has people in the community that she loves and is comfortable staying with when we need to be away.
I have neighbours that encourage me to get out for swim or a hike when I know I should, but likely would not if it was just up to me.
There is always someone that has a lemon or a lime when I realize I need one and I’m already in the middle of making dinner.
I’m glad that these parts of my fantasy future aren’t a fantasy, they are a reality.
That is in part why I love living at Treehouse Village Ecohousing.
PS: I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that we have units for sale or rent! Check out our website.