Community

A few weeks back, my dear friend Danielle and I were talking about our day. As I was going on about how lovely my afternoon was - working at Indaba, running into all sorts of friends and neighbors, then visiting the West Central Marketplace (Tuesdays, 3-6pm) and seeing other friends - she stopped me by saying "That's because you're living in community again! It's like when we went to Whitworth. I could never have that kind of community up north."

And Danielle is completely right. I haven't experienced this kind of tight-knit community since Whitworth, when we were all living together, eating together, doing everything in the same block of buildings together, seven days a week. I am so blessed to have gone to a school that worked tirelessly to teach us what it means to live and love in community. It is the most glorious feeling to have that kind of community again. Only now this is my neighborhood (aka real life - not that strange and magical phase called college).

I walk down the street and see my neighbors as I pass. Working at the coffee shop I get to catch up with my neighbor Rachel, my friends who make such tasty coffee treats, others who work in the neighborhood and are getting some caffeine while they work. At the Marketplace I catch up with my friends who grow beautiful produce just blocks from my home, and with my neighbor who bakes fresh bread and sweets. At different Porch gatherings and coffee dates throughout the week, I connect with a group of people who is quickly becoming family to me.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that "[t]he person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community". This type of community isn't something that can be forced. This is just what happens when we live life together in love.

It's hard to believe I've been in the neighborhood for 4 months now. I am so grateful for the way this community has embraced me - allowing me to jump right into its hurts, struggles, joys - into its life.

Thank you West Central for taking me in, allowing me to become a part of the myriad names, faces, occupations, skills, lives - accepting me as a part of you.