Day 23: Community
#evolving40 Day 23: #Community
I have no idea how I’d get through this incredibly trying time without my various communities. In the last couple of weeks alone, I’ve:
- Commiserated with my working parent friends about how we’re coping, and how we’re nervous about what the school year will look like
- Exchanged cute kid pics, memes, and text updates with my best girlfriends
- Caught up with my extended family on Zoom
- Shared tips on the spirited child Facebook group for getting kids to sleep through the night
- Helped and been helped by my neighbors
- Joked around with my coworkers on Slack in between getting things done
- Done a “Zoomba” (Zoom + Zumba) class with a bunch of fabulous women around the country
- Traded mantras and progress markers with friends who struggle with worthiness and perfectionism like I do
- Rallied via social media around common values of justice and public health
- Swapped recommendations for books and movies that entertain and educate
- Video chatted with my parents and sister across the country and the world
- Hugged my immediate family close
I feel so fortunate to have maintained different tight-knit communities over my lifetime. My high school friends and teachers. College pals and professors. Friends from study abroad in Spain, the Public Allies program, San Francisco, Spark, the democratic education world, and all the jobs I’ve had since.
I remember walking down the aisle at my wedding, arm in arm with my mom and dad, feeling overcome with emotion as I looked out at the beautiful confluence of these communities. I knew that it would be one of the only times in my life that they’d all come together at once. I did my best to look each person in the eye as I moved toward the altar, smiling and feeling a flood of gratitude for every one.
I will never be able to repay the kindness and generosity my communities have shown me: My home church community helping to fund the first summer of the Spark program; my parents and schools in Sonoma welcoming me back with open arms to do the Reschool Yourself project; the Jackson community surrounding my family with support when each of our children arrived, and when Darren and Avery were in the hospital; the unconditional love from Darren's and my families of origin.
I hope that amidst the suffering of this pandemic where everyone in the world is affected, we can finally realize that we are one global community. Our divisions are only illusions that we have created, walls that we have constructed and -- if we can get over our fears and egos -- can tear down or rebuild into bridges. Our common struggles and our suffering unite all of us, as do our hopes and our joys.
May we learn to care for one another and realize that ultimately, we win or lose together and have a collective responsibility for our planet and the life on it.
* How I’ve evolved: Intentionally maintaining relationships from my different communities, recognizing what each contributes to my life.
* How I’m evolving: Broadening my idea of community to include all of humanity, and expanding my awareness and activism beyond what’s happening outside my tiny corner of the world.
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If you’d like to join me for The Evolving 40:
- All are welcome. Jump in at any time.
- On the daily theme, think: “How have I evolved? How am I evolving?”
- Length and format are up to you.
- Post in the comments below or on your own social with the hashtag #evolving40.
- Whatever comes up is what’s meant to be.
