Community. In all the different circles I spend time in - this seems to be a buzzword. Isn't it interesting how we are are trying to connect ourselves into the feeling that comes with being part of a larger group of people. We need to know we are not islands - we have a purpose and a point to being here on earth and we discover a bit more of what that point is when we live in community with others.
And yet, I wonder how many of us REALLY are willing to live the way we need to in order to become part of a vital community. Like so many others, my closest group of friends and us were talking about forming a community where we would live together. The more we explored that option, the more it seemed like it would mean us become land developers - which is definitly not where we were at. What we did do was discuss the parts of "community" that we felt were important and we began to develop them. The first thing we decided was to meet together regularly. We have a potluck every week together. Including kids there are over 30 of us so this is no easy task! It isn't like we all have homes that can entertain huge parties! But it is very high on our list of priorities and we make it work. No one misses if they can help it. Our kids LOVE potluck night - the benefit is for them possibly more than it is for us! Another important part of us being together is to serve outside of ourselves. We organized a relief dinner for the Tsunami victims, we have loved and cared for a family who needed love and care, we serve in our Church and give of our creative gifts, talent and time.
But I think the key thing that defines us as a community is that we care for each other. And that means that we have to share of ourselves, warts and all. We have to be open and vulnerable to each other. We have to admit we need others to give us a hand. THIS I think is the part where people just aren't willing to go. It is hard to confess weakness. It is so difficult to swallow pride. To admit we are not able to make it on our own.
One of our group just celebrated her 4th year of sobriety. In her sharing her struggle, in her being willing to tell us that she cannot do it on her own, she brought an intimacy to our group that we could have never acheived without it. She opened a pathway for us all to ask for help. She needs me, and because I know this, I know I can ask her for help when I need it. And same goes for the rest of us. It is amazing to have people in your life who you can count on any time, any where for anything. What a gift God has allowed us to enjoy.
THis quote came across my email from Bruderhof.
How strange that we should ordinarily feel compelled to hide our wounds when we are all wounded! Community requires the ability to expose our wounds and weaknesses to our fellow creatures. It also requires the ability to be affected by the wounds of others... But even more important is the love that arises among us when we share, both ways, our woundedness.
~Scott M. Peck
And yet, I wonder how many of us REALLY are willing to live the way we need to in order to become part of a vital community. Like so many others, my closest group of friends and us were talking about forming a community where we would live together. The more we explored that option, the more it seemed like it would mean us become land developers - which is definitly not where we were at. What we did do was discuss the parts of "community" that we felt were important and we began to develop them. The first thing we decided was to meet together regularly. We have a potluck every week together. Including kids there are over 30 of us so this is no easy task! It isn't like we all have homes that can entertain huge parties! But it is very high on our list of priorities and we make it work. No one misses if they can help it. Our kids LOVE potluck night - the benefit is for them possibly more than it is for us! Another important part of us being together is to serve outside of ourselves. We organized a relief dinner for the Tsunami victims, we have loved and cared for a family who needed love and care, we serve in our Church and give of our creative gifts, talent and time.
But I think the key thing that defines us as a community is that we care for each other. And that means that we have to share of ourselves, warts and all. We have to be open and vulnerable to each other. We have to admit we need others to give us a hand. THIS I think is the part where people just aren't willing to go. It is hard to confess weakness. It is so difficult to swallow pride. To admit we are not able to make it on our own.
One of our group just celebrated her 4th year of sobriety. In her sharing her struggle, in her being willing to tell us that she cannot do it on her own, she brought an intimacy to our group that we could have never acheived without it. She opened a pathway for us all to ask for help. She needs me, and because I know this, I know I can ask her for help when I need it. And same goes for the rest of us. It is amazing to have people in your life who you can count on any time, any where for anything. What a gift God has allowed us to enjoy.
THis quote came across my email from Bruderhof.
How strange that we should ordinarily feel compelled to hide our wounds when we are all wounded! Community requires the ability to expose our wounds and weaknesses to our fellow creatures. It also requires the ability to be affected by the wounds of others... But even more important is the love that arises among us when we share, both ways, our woundedness.
~Scott M. Peck
posted by Cyndi | 8:32 AM
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