In the book, Cure for the Common Life, our own Colorado aspens are used as a picture of community. "Have you noticed how they (aspens) grow in groups, often on the otherwise bald sides of mountains? They are sun seekers and root sharers. Unlike firs or pines, which prefer shade, aspens worship warmth. Unlike oaks, whose roots go deep, aspen roots go wide. They intertwine with other roots and share the same nutrients." .
This is an insightful metaphor from nature. When one is struggling with a serious or persistent mental illness it can indeed feel as though one is alone on the bald side of a mountain. At Karis Community, community members discover that hope and healing begin with relationships. Mental illness is isolating, creating vulnerability. Community living makes isolation impossible. Members of the community learn to work together, learn life skills with and from one another, play together, confront and challenge one another. Relationships provide the warmth of interpersonal connection and support. These are the ways in which our roots grow wide and intermingle, giving a foundation upon which to build new strengths.
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"We don't accomplish anything in this world alone…and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from
one to another that creates something."
-Sandra Day O'Connor
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Karis Community Mission Statement
To provide a transitional community living opportunity for restoring basic life skills and improving the social well-being of individuals recovering from serious and persistent mental illness.
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