communities without borders

Communities tend to be life-moment specific: your school community, your work community, your neighborhood community.  What happens when you graduate, change jobs, move?  The older you get, the more magically special it is to grow forever friends out of moment-specific classmates, co-workers, neighbors.  There are some that survive on past shared experiences and others that offer continued new memories.  Some might be weekly phone calls or texts and others that once-a-year-it's-like-no-time-has-passed connection.  

“I really like the thing called friendship. And I think the most fulfilling kind of friendship is the one that you stumble quite randomly upon. Unexpected and unknown. You can learn a lot about yourself from these kinds of friendships, and some last a long time while others last only for the duration of time that you have together! 

But then I wonder, is the length of a friendship measured by
the time you are given to spend within each others' company? 

Or is it measured by how long into the future you can look back at the photos you took, look back and replay the adventures and the laughter in your head; still feeling like it was one of the "bestest" times of your life? Because if it's the latter, I have a thousand friends!” 

― C. JoyBell C.

9 to 5

Theodore Roosevelt said, "Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."  Ideally, your definition of "work worth doing" will lead you to an environment of like-inspired individuals.  Finding comfort in this commonality while believing in the strength of your differences fosters community in the workplace.   

Intentional community here begins by investing in getting to know "who" someone is beyond the office.  It is easy to focus on the initial apparent variances between you and co-workers, so learning more about an individual allows for more opportunities to discover commonalities.  Often a strong commonality will allow you to celebrate those apparent distinctions, that before seemed defining and limiting.  The Lunchbox Buddies are grateful for the shared sense of humor that brought us together and the many kindred connections that link us to co-workers.       

...our house, in the middle of our street...

Remember in elementary school when your best friend was the kid whose last name was alphabetically after or before yours for lining up, kickball, school pictures...and the list goes on?  Then that evolved into the junior high buddy who shared homeroom, PE and lunch.  In college, it was the one other girl on your hall who wanted to watch that new Nicholas Sparks' movie at 2 am instead of cramming for the big math final.

We are offered relationships through pre-established communities, such as school or work, but once we graduate or clock out, we head into our neighborhoods, which are often overlooked as opportunities to grow deep-rooted relationships.  I am blessed to have a rag tag group of Goonies-never-say-die type neighbors.  We call our hood "Funny Hill" and seek out ways to encourage and support each other.  Fellowship with this community of mine can look like a late-night bonfire, driving a neighbor to the grocery store (or receiving a ride to the grocery store!), cutting someone's grass (or being the recipient of the gracious gift of grass cutting!), community gardening, kayaking/canoeing/camping, preparing and sharing community meals and the list goes on and on.

I love the strong sense of community established through a shared geographic boundary.  It's like how you go to a sporting event and are around folks dressed in the same colors, rooting for the same team. Remember that childhood feeling of absolute freedom and contentment playing with the neighborhood gang 'til the sun went down and everyone had to go home for dinner?  That is how I feel in my neighborhood.  Folks from different walks of life in different stages of life unifying around a shared commonality.

"...I remember way back then when everything was true and when 

We would have such a very good time such a fine time 

Such a happy time 

And I remember how we'd play simply waste the day away..."

comm{unity}

“As the earth dies your spirit will bloom; as the world fades your soul will rise and glisten. Amongst the dehydrated crevices of a desert earth you will stumble upon your diamonds; in between the dry skulls and cracked bones you will find your sapphires.” 

― C. JoyBell C.

Community is like a diamond; awe-inspiring like Elle MacPherson's stellar engagement ring. There are communities that are organic and raw, while others are forced and synthetic... and, if you know what you're looking for, it's usually pretty clear which one you've got. They shimmer and shine when brought into the light, can be shared through generations, and can be carried near our heart on a daily basis.

The facets of community are endless and sometimes we truly stumble upon their beauty. We can find them in our workplaces, within our geographic neighborhoods, woven into common interests, and throughout our families of faith. Participation in true community can not only strengthen the bonds between persons, but also enhance relationships between individuals and God. Being known and being loved, living life in collaboration with others, and sharing a common sense of purpose are the cut, color, and clarity of communities. Our prayer is that April will lead us into intimate fellowship with those around us as the divine nature of community guides are steps.