A Village, A Community

Similar to a pack of animals, we crashed through the lawn; making forts and digging holes. My siblings and I had a myriad of outside games we would play, most of them involved losing dad's tools or tearing up any semblance of a yard we had. It wasn't uncommon for the neighborhood olympics to be hosted on a regular basis in our backyard. So the regular 5-7 olympians increased to 10-15, thus resulting in even more of a mess. 

I can see him now... My determined and hardworking father walking around his patchy, hole-filled yard, shaking his head and looking for a rake that had been used as a pole vault. Looks like another item of ours had been "Shenked" (that is a term we have come up with to describe the action of the abyss that is our household, where things once lost are lost forever). 

With a sigh and a laugh, my mother looked at my dad and said "Well, Steve we are raising kids not grass, right?" As you can see, I have incredibly patient and caring parents. 

Having kids is ridiculously messy...having seven kids under one roof is often chaos. But my parents had perspective. They knew the cost of our abnormal family and the payoff of our connections and love. 

That is what makes a powerful community; messiness and love. 
Solitude is clean, solitude is easy, solitude is silence. 

Growth and development occurs when there is action. Community changes you and develops you. It helps you grow into a more powerful human. Your mess is on display in an honest community and you get the unique opportunity to deal with the issues and pain of others. Community allows you to love people for where they are at for who they are, not for what they can do for you. There is power in numbers, and even if you feel apprehensive about getting connected, I hope you consider the impact it could have on your life. 

I encourage you to seek out like-minded individuals. I would only caution you be wary of the community you choose. You become like those who you are closest to, so pick wisely. If you are confused about how to connect to a good community, ask for help.  

“The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.” 
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer