Community

When asked where you live, what is your response?  Most people offer a town, a street name, a development title.  Why do we define our life by where we live?  Why do we base our home on where our house is?  I am not brick, or wood, nor plaster and paint.  I am me.  A person.  And I am part of a community.  

My girls and I are very fortunate to have found a wonderful play group.  Today I watched as three moms found safety, found community, in the commonality of their children.  I watched as they took turns talking and listening, showing concern and respect.  And like all mothers must learn to do, they did this while putting together a puzzle, pushing trains, and finding snacks.  Around the room, moms of new babies sat on the floor discussing breast feeding, diapers, sleep habits.  One rocked a bundle of baby in her arms, another played peek-a-boo, and another gently rubbed her sons so soft and bald head.  At the playhouse, one mother played Big Bad Wolf with a group of toddlers.  And, at a group of tables sat even more mothers talking coupons and vacations, doctors and church.  I am a part of this community.

After play group we drive directly to the library for story hour.  I watched a mother help her son pick out his books for the week, another mom read Richard Scary stories aloud to a few kids, and another grandma help her grandson play a learning game on the computer.  In the classroom, a dad danced and sang along with his daughter,  teachers taught us to fish for goldfish crackers with cheese and pretzels, and toddlers counted loudly while wiggling and chatting.  I am a part of this community.

We attend church.  We are a part of a swimming pool.  We go to the gym.  We talk to people at the grocery store.  We know our neighbors. We spend time with our families.  I am a part of all of these communities.  But, it isn't the place that draws me in, that makes me stay, that calls me to return.  The people of these places - they, in their friendliness and uniqueness, in their commonality and character, are why I belong to these places.  I am a part of their community.

I realize that many nice labels of status quo can be attached to a person based upon their home builder, their neighborhood, their zip code.  But, it isn't where they live that gives life.  Life comes from joining in, from becoming a part of, from being vulnerable to a community.   This is where I live, in my life.