the green room
A DECADES-LONG DISCUSSION GROUP
~ by Pam Raider
Arguably the most social animal, humans, need each other. The studies are in— social isolation can drive us crazy. That’ s why it is considered extreme punishment in prisons. It’ s also why mass shooters are most often described as loners.
From the beginning, Homo sapiens gathered around campfires to swap tales. Then we progressed to the local store’ s potbellied stove and on to newspapers and TV, and finally to the screens in our hands. Whether at the hair salon, in restaurants and bars, or houses of worship, we enjoy sharing with our neighbors. A sense of belonging— feeling heard and accepted— helps put our thoughts and feelings into perspective.
We get out of the loops in our brain when others add a new twist, talk us off the ledge, make us laugh, or listen to our sorrows. They say misery loves company, but so do our joys and successes. From cradle to grave, community is crucial to our well-being.
Although I belong to several groups and value each one, one in particular stands out
44 Our Brown County • Jan./ Feb. 2025 as especially interesting and accepting. It lies within the heart of Nashville, meeting in the Nashville United Methodist Church. Named for the carpeting covering floor and benches, the Green Room is an especially welcoming place. What began as a Sunday school playroom area for children morphed into a home for a wideranging, now decades-long, discussion group. You might ask“ What’ s a discussion group have to do with church?” And yet, at their core, all issues have moral, ethical, and spiritual ramifications. Just as the unexamined life may not be worth living, so too might be our unexamined beliefs. No one person has all the answers; therefore we can find better answers together. If two minds are better than one, think how superb 10 minds are. All opinions shared in the Green Room are reacted to with thoughtful consideration.
The Green Room seems the epitome of community with nothing to buy or sign up for and nothing expected— just show up and be open to listening and sharing. Democratic