The Power of Community
And what community is to me…
My community is those who I can gather at a table with. Share a meal, a joke, some wisdom. Sometimes a mission in life. Not always agreeing. In fact, it’s a given we probably won’t. But we share something deeper.
Humans were not created to live an isolated existence. I’m not an anthropologist but that’s what I believe. And I know they’ve found evidence of that dating back a long time. Folks hanging together in person long before social media took over our lives.
We need each other. Not just because it’s what makes it possible for us to survive. Those of us who live urban lives depend on farmers and fishers and those who make stuff to provide for our needs. We rely on others for most everything.
But that’s not really what makes community. Not for me. I’ve lived in “community” several times in my life. Once when I was a teen, again in my twenties. Places with like-minded folks sharing a house, chores, responsibilities. It’s not always as easy as might be thought. Even with those who think of themselves as sharing a vision people are human and imperfect. Sometimes even those who have strong values and are caring, decent folks don’t always get along. Who’d have thunk it.
Community holds us up, affirms us, confronts us. Loves us. Community drives change, creates and builds.
A couple of decades ago a small group of parents began to meet in the place where we lived. You could call the location a community, you could call the group of us a community of a different kind. We met because we all had kids with diversiblities. Kids who were going to struggle in school, and after. At first, we discussed how to work with our local high school to ensure our kids were met with a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Later as our kids got older we took on a new commitment. To create a business in our town where our kids could work. Be welcomed to do so in fact. And like a dog with a bone, we stuck it out. Eventually, it happened. Against all odds and only with the power and strength of a small group of parents a cafe was opened. To serve the “community” good coffee and great food. To provide training and jobs for individuals who would have a hard time doing so otherwise. And to be able to give our kids…
