Community

Universities gather people together in the same stage of life and experience (generally) and puts them all in the same bale. But afterward everyone is threshed and beaten. The grain of who each person is mixed in with people from other parts of the field. Some grew near the edge with the weeds. Others weren't fertilized the same. A few were near the path and barely escaped being eaten by the birds.

And while this metaphor breaks down at a certain point, I have come to realize that after some life is lived it is hard to find others at the same point in that growth. It is hard to build community when my life experience is so wildly different from most people I know. Getting to know people is hard and complicated.

I had a friend visit this week. One of my dearest friends, Katie lived with me for 2 years in the ME. She and I talked for hours and hours and hours. We never ran out of words before we ran out of energy for speaking. We didn't even just talk about our time in the ME. We know each other's hearts.

I have come to be so much more thankful for the friendships and community that God has given me over the last years. It wasn't always easy, no... but God provided kindred spirits and fellowship. He will do so again.