We Need Community
John Donne, an 18th century poet, wrote: “No Man is an Island”. That poem and the phrase “no man is an island” means that no one is truly self-sufficient, everyone must rely on the company and comfort of others to thrive.
I’m not one who ever professes to be lonely. As if to pound my chest like Tarzan, I exclaim: “I may be alone but I’m not lonely. I sense God with me 24/7!” Really, I am sincerely comfortable with my aloneness. While that’s true most of the time, I never realized how much I desired companionship as I did during the isolation and confinement of the pandemic. And, if I, being the consummate optimist felt it, how much more did those who don’t have a tight relationship with God, felt it. I knew that was true as I heard about how depression and suicide rates skyrocketed. Thank God, we can get out and about and connect with others again.
With all my uplifting, encouraging, positive and motivational blogs daily, I am very aware that life is extremely hard for many. Sometimes it’s “I can’t go on this way” kind-of-gut-wrenching hard. Some of my hurting friends have shared bits and pieces of their stories with me. I see the pain. I hear the struggle, and I want nothing more than to take them up in my arms and make it all better for them.
On Monday, I attended an interactive Bible Study group here in my community. Helen was there. Helen keeps showing up at many activities: Mah Jongg, Pickleball (she calls me “Teacher” because I help her learn at both activities). At the Bible Study we were all helping her. You see, Helen is Chinese and speaks just a few words of English. She carries around her phone and uses the translator app to help her out. I was in tears when she showed up to the Bible Study. She had written on a piece of paper: “I am a Christian” in English. Helen is determined to be a part of our community and she isn’t letting her inability to fluently speak English stop her. She is not intimidated (or doesn’t show it). Helen refuses to be isolated. She shows up with a big smile and big determination to learn.
The truth is we need each other. We need community. We need to get back to embracing co-dependency (I’m still working on that one, myself!). God gives His example of co-dependency. He does everything with Jesus and the Holy Spirit and likewise, they don’t operate outside of Him. Three in one. We’re made in His image. So, why would we want to do life independently? It goes against the way God made us.
Blogging has provided me with a beautiful community of devoted, faithful, and loving friends. If you’re reading this, you are one of those friends. I love you so much. You are my people. Every “like and love” emoji, comment, and every word you type on here, I cherish. Deeply cherish. You are my reason for getting up at 4 am each morning to share a word that just might give you the breath of fresh air you need to conquer this new day.
We all need community. People who understand and champion us. When we take off the masks (literally and figuratively), we find that we are all very much the same. We all have hurt. We all have stories. We all have hopes. We all have dreams. We all long to be known and connected. When we begin to see all people as “our brother, our sister and friend”, we gain respect for them. And out of that comes love. Real. Authentic. Love. It is then that we begin to look a whole lot like Jesus. The resemblance is undeniable. And, out of all the lives we help to save, one just may be our own.