Community

What does community mean to you? How does it show up in your life? The community takes many forms. We have our work communities, church communities, communities around common interests.

Communities involve people who share common interests. A common interest may bring a community together. For example, a group of people who watch Game of Thrones together, or a group of people who watch their favorite football team together, or share a hobby.

Examples are plentiful knitters, crocheters, dancers.

Growing up, my communities tended to be local, friends I went to school with, and any long-distance communities were made up of family members.

Now thanks to zoom, I have communities with people across continents and around the world.

The communities I am a part of aligning with my interests.

For example, I have a creative community that helps support my creative pursuits, podcasting, and writing. Likewise, my church community supports my spiritual life.

Community brings connection. Connection opens up opportunities to contribute, learn, and support.

The connection can be uncomfortable and messy, but so can not being connected.

When a community get’s frustrating, or when you get tired, wanting to pull away or leave is tempting, and perhaps in some situations even necessary. For example, when I moved to California, my communities changed.

The connections didn’t. Here is a simple metaphor. Look around your office space or your home. Pick one small appliance or device that you have.

A phone charger or a computer. When you unplug your computer and take it to another room and plug it in there, your computer charges. It charges because the outlet in the room you are in has power. So your computer will charge anywhere there is power.

The computer doesn’t stop working because it is in a new location.

The same is with you. With us. We are designed and wired for community and connection. We have the wisdom and discernment to evaluate what communities are supportive and what communities are not. We need community. If you have been burned or hurt by a community. I am sorry that it happened to you, and whatever happened, that is not the right way to treat people, but the good news is this. There is a community of people out there who will treat you with dignity, respect, and value.

A community will help you get your projects finished, will help you discover where you need to add more wisdom, and move you in a new direction.

Choose community, or let the community choose you. Let us circle back; what is the community to you? How do you express yourself within it?