Community

In scrolling through an app, the following quote just stuck with me. “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other” by Audrey Hepburn. I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t been the best at holding onto each other. I understand event have happened in my life to make me unsure and cautious of getting connected or creating community at the risk of losing it someday. It happened in my family and in personal relationships. It has taking a lot of time to heal from those losses.

I see creating community and connection to hold onto like falling in love. To be so open and vulnerable comes with its own risk – the risk of letting someone in who could hurt you or break your heart. On the flip side, the joy and happiness of community and connection can be incredibly fulfilling where it outweighs the risk.

I was fortunate enough to lead a community in the last couple years and create some wonderful connections. As my role change I had to leave part of that behind, but I am filled with the wonderful times and experiences. I am also energized to create my own community that won’t have a limit –a community that can carry as it’s meant to be.

You may be thinking of a traditional community like the neighbors of where you grew up or maybe a grouping through an association. The last few years I have re-defined community. Community is not just my neighbors but also the people who are around me working together and sharing experiences. I’ve extended community to my work group, to my online groups, and groups of friends who support and uplift one another.

I have also learned to enjoy the community and connections while they last – some are longstanding, some are short, and some are for a period of time. As I have learned more about myself, the rewards of community are nearly the only topic in my mind and the risks of being hurt fade quickly. We are meant to hold onto one another … find your community and hold one. ~Chacha