I spent my Saturday evening cooking dinner, eating, and watching a movie. Something not that out of the ordinary, except that I spent the evening and half the night doing those things with 3 amazing women. As I sat enjoying the movie (City of Joy with Patrick Swayze. Good stuff!), I realized how weird this was for me. And then I thought about how weird it was that I thought it was weird to spend my Saturday evening fellowshipping with peers. But it was! So of course I had to analyze WHY this was the case.
I am incredibly thankful for the experiences I have had in the past 2 years since Graduating College. However, my social life has been seriously lacking. While in California, I lacked the time and energy to cultivate many friendships outside the perimeters of work. Since moving to Alabama, I either lacked the transportation, time, or motivation (depending on the day/week) to form any sort of relationship outside work and my family. But in both California and here in Alabama, there was one singular factor that changed things: My Small Group.
In California, some of my dearest friends and best memories came from the small group of people that met once a week. We were a rag-tag bunch, all different ages and backgrounds. We were all brutally honest with our faults, our frustrations, our pain, and our joy. And it was the most beautiful part of my 11 months in those Cities by the Bay.
Now I have found a home in a new group of cities, on a very different Bay. But once again, I have found a glimmer of “home” in a life of constant giving of myself. Despite being a part of a 2nd small group in a few short months, these two groups of women have given me the community my heart so desperately needed. And once again, it is such a beautiful part of my current experience.
There is no doubt in my mind that we as humans were made for meaningful community. There is a reason that we begin to feel lonely when we interact with countless people, yet bear our souls to none of them. There is something so beautiful about letting your guard down, laughing, crying, and having meaningful and honest conversations (regardless of if those conversations are about slavery, caste systems, or how amazing chocolate cake is).
This is the type of relationships that we were created to live in. Community. God Built, God Centered Community. And it was this craving for community that helped lead me to World Race. While I know that I won’t get along famously with every single one of my squad mates (and maybe even my teammates!), I have still found so much love, acceptance, support, and God-Driven community in my Squad. I can’t wait to live life together for 11 ground-breaking months!
Most of all, I thank God for making us to need each other. Imagine how boring life would be if we lived life on our own?!
