ABSTRACT
Created by co-founder Marie Nygren, the name “Serenbe” derives from a portmanteau word from two root terms: serene or serenity, and be or being.2 So embedded in the very name is an affirmational or intentional quality that guides the development process. Serenity, from the French word sérénité, suggests a certain kind of peaceful lifestyle or rural tranquillity: one that is deeply calm, composed, reverent, respectful, and possessing grace. Also, Serenbe could be seen as serendipitous and having the propensity of discovery, delight, and magic. “Being,” coming from Middle English, is about the subjective quality of a living existence and the experience of being present, which is in attendance in the here and now. In the context of Serenbe, it means being on the land and in the community, and being an integral and creative part of the life of the place.
