Sharing

Hannah Weickhardt

Here at Streetlevel there is plenty of sharing – and at times this is not the kind one would expect! Expected or unexpected, two things that are regularly shared are stories and laughter.

The sharing of stories generally comes from either a place of trust or a place of bother. Sharing from a place of trust happens as the foundation of familiarity and ease is built over time when we make the choice to listen to one another and let people chat about life. Stories also come from a place of bother; many times at the reception desk people launch into detailed events of their life due to loneliness, perceived hopelessness or because they just want someone to hear them out. Even with no foundation of familiarity sharing happens.

There is also shared laughter which often comes out of a sense of relaxation or of awkwardness. As people become more regular to the centre and community members become more relaxed and familiar to one another the opportunity for joviality and jesting really does develop – even amongst different preferences for humour. More so, when people do not know each other or may be a bit tense there is still the opportunity to laugh with others. A cringe-worthy joke at Community Connect Lunch each week does well to break the awkward.

Whether it is because we know and are known by others or strangers in the same space there is the opportunity to relate to others. People make the choice to share and it isn’t unique to Streetlevel, it can happen wherever and whenever people come together.