Listen. I’m not saying this is the be-all, end-all, magic bullet or big idea to end all the world’s problems. When the recent school shootings got people talking, I told my husband I needed to write this post. I am convinced what the world needs now is community. The famous song says it’s love and there are many versions of “love is love” trending across the globe but what good is love when we don’t have the community to love on each other??
What the world needs now is community.
If you’ve been around for long, you know I preach living a big, simple life with a focus on purpose. One of my mottos is “purpose without busyness” because it’s so easy to want to expand your influence then find yourself worn out, stretched too thin and resenting the very people and projects you love.
The bigger your life, the more you need community.
The more you need people who have your back, who encourage and support you, who help you with day to day challenges and who KNOW you. This is impossible if you are pulled in a dozen different directions. Even in my own life, I have a large sphere of influence but only a select few I truly know and even fewer who know me.
I’m not saying school shootings are a result of a lack of community but if we want to talk prevention, whether it’s addressing gun control, mental health or something else…change doesn’t happen outside of community.
When was the last time you changed your perspective based on a Facebook rant?
Where can mamas compare notes on their child’s mental health? Sure as heck not in an online group!
How can we come to an agreement both ends of the political spectrum can agree on without community? It seems to me we’ve forgotten how to talk to each other anymore. We’ve lost that personal connection, we’ve lost the heart. We’ve lost our humanness.
We see the video of the plea of the father who’s child was gunned down and it breaks our heart. We need more of that, only we need it coming from our neighbor, in our living room over a cup of coffee.
Being human is hard enough before you bring race, politics, religion or differing parenting philosophies into it.
What makes being human harder? Going it alone.
We need to know our neighbors. We need to offer real help to an expecting or new mama. We need to volunteer in the non-profits and charities we care about.
I hate abortion. It ruins too many lives. Abortion is a symptom of a bigger problem but the solution isn’t simple and by the time a woman is considering an abortion, she has already been failed, probably many times over. I am committed to exploring what that looks like. True solutions can only happen in community when needs and opportunities connect.
Whatever you’re passionate about, community will only help you explore and embrace that passion. Yet we’re all so busy, so harried, so…disoriented.
Years ago I proposed an idea to a few leaders in my faith community because I see too women running in too many different directions and being overwhelmed by obligations.
The average woman I pass in the halls of my church might…
- be married, some with blended families
- be a mother
- be employed or run a small business
- attend a Bible study
- attend a Life Group
- serve at church on the weekend
- help run a co-op
- chair a committee
- attend a networking meeting
- attend a crafter’s retreat
- volunteer at a non-profit
- help out at her kid’s school or help with someone else’s kids
That’s on top of home caring, birthdays, shopping, in-laws, etc. etc.
That’s a lot of emails, meetings, paperwork and STRESS.
In a week, you could rub elbows with hundreds of people in your circle of influence and you might see them daily, weekly or monthly…but do you really know them? Do they know you?
It’s hard for me to connect with people when life is so disjointed and compartmentalized.
I told my church leaders we need a way for women to go deep into one group where they grow, learn, serve, work and play with the same people. That’s the kind of community the world needs.
From those real connections, you go serve and change the world with your gifts.
I’m committed to this and I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, if you want to connect, you are always welcome in my studio for a cup of tea.
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