Friday, September 2, 2022

Spiritual Journey Thursday: How Do We Build Community?

Maureen is hosting our gathering this month with the topic of community.

I thought we might have written about community in the past, so I searched the term "community" on my blog.  Guess what? Almost every blog post I have written comes up in that search. Spiritual Journey Thursday friends are a community, Poetry Friday friends are a specific community who gather around poetry. Sharing Our Stories and Two Writing Teachers are other examples of writing communities that nurture my writing life. These communities are virtual communities (although I have met a few of you in person) and I cherish the friendships and community we share around our shared interests in writing, literacy, teaching, observing the beauty in our world, seeking for spiritual growth, and for some of us, being grandmas.

Spiritual Journey Thursday brings us together for a sacred pause each month to check in with our spiritual batteries. I love the insights that each member brings to our topic of the month. Our backgrounds are varied, but we share an interest and desire to strengthen our spiritual lives.

We moved from our home of 25 years in July. I feel bereft without that community of friends with whom I have shared so much. We moved 30 minutes away in order to be closer to daughter and son-in-law and the grand boys. And so we have a new church community and a new neighborhood. I'm working to be a builder, to reach out to create community in this new neighborhood and church congregation. 

I'm close enough to my old friends to make occasional trips there to stay connected. But I want to build community in my new setting. My niece, who also moved this summer, sent me this text on Sunday: "Yesterday was the first Sunday I started to feel 'at home' in my new ward (congregation). It's taken a lot of me being very chatty and friendly on Sundays." Wisdom from the upcoming generation! Community is created by being chatty and friendly. I'm hoping I remember that next Sunday.

5 comments:

  1. ooooooh, I'm so glad to be in this community with you. Leaving a place after 25 years must be rough. I'm facing that soon-ish. We just can't decide where we want to go. We are so fortunate to be able to connect online as a community as well. I love that you are near your grandsons. What a gift to be able to create memories with them.

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  2. Building a community does take effort. Someone has to start and lay the foundation. I am sure you will have great success in building that community in you new neighborhood and church. I like your niece's words of wisdom. Sometimes we need to reach out and make that first move.

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  3. Ramona, I so understand the need to be near the children and grandchildren. I would choose the same. I admire the way you are embracing the opportunity to build relationships in a new community - I predict wonderful things head! You have such a great and genuine heart. I expect people will be drawn to you as you reach out. And - I celebrate all those writing communities alongside you. I think about how they've enriched my life, my thinking, my writing. On that note - know how grateful I am for you, friend! You're a true blessing <3

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  4. Ramona, best wishes as you create new community in your new 'pocket' of the world! I smiled as your words about wondering if you have written about this topic before, and realizing that it is in almost all your writing. I feel so similarly - community is so central to all that I do. I love your attitude/approach - "working to be a builder, to reach out to create community" - this speaks to how essential the role of each individual, in the 'whole'. Lovely! Thank you for sharing!

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  5. Ramona, I can take wisdom from your post. I need to consider being "chatty and friendly" in my next opportunities to be around people in my new community. My husband is both chatty and friendly to people he meets, and I see the results, so its good advice. I will pray for you as you transition in your new community. Blessings, and especially have a blessed time living closer to your son and his family!

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