When the developers who I worked for told me there would be five thousand new homes in the vicinity of my neighborhood, I was amazed. Ten thousand new neighbors, I thought.
I remembered the condo project near us that my husband and I had been opposed to. I cannot remember why, just that we thought it was a bad idea. Once the condo project happened, I thought – all these new neighbors, we did not want, here they will be, in our community. We were hesitant at the thought of them, but realistic was all we could be when it occurred.
And now, I go to church in the new community, the community of ten thousand. And in other places, I am in community and business organizations. There is always someone with a connection. They are from Columbia where I grew up, or they are my child’s teacher or principle, they are the grandmother of my child’s classmate, they are a relative of our client’s, they clean house for someone I know, or groom their dog. The other day I bought a bicycle off Craig’s list, and the seller knew my business, so he put it together for me and delivered it. It is always some connection.
It is a big, sloppy tapestry of community. People are interwoven in other people’s lives. Some connections exist and are easy to see. Others don’t know they are connected yet.
But the thing about it is, every single person, every connection, every community member, is a story. Each life has something to tell. Some people have things to give others, some people take things. You cannot see it on the surface. When people let you in, when you weave into their part of the tapestry, that is when you can see it. The very humanness of people. Their needs and wants, their desires. The ways they overflow and the ways they lack. It is all beautiful if you let it be, if they let you come in. The best thing is, sometimes you’re needed and can help. A ride here or there. A listening ear. Prayer. Relationship. Community.
Poet, Writer, Christian, Southern, Wife, Mother, Child, Employer, always learning.
Life's Trails 