Finding Community 2

Have had a really great week of finding the wonderful things about life and community, and thought I'd share some of it -- may be useful to be able to remember. It is an election year here in the U.S., after all, which sometimes seems to bring out the worst in people.

This week started when a bunch of involved parents came over to spend a Saturday morning sorting bottle tops and Betty Crocker labels to earn money for the school.

A few days later I saw the great Eddie Izzard (U.K. comedian), who uses his wonderfully intelligent platform about religion, ancient civilizations, and evolution to point out our responsibility to lift up our communities.

Another set of parents came over to discuss how to advocate on behalf of our school district for much needed funding, especially for our English-as-a-second-language programs.

A wonderful young man who recently fell into my path offered more than 10 hours of his time to help me improve my Choice Chat podcast.

I helped chaperone a busload of third graders on a 10-hour field trip. Many of these kids were overjoyed to see dairy cows in the fields enroute, and giant rainbows in the sky on the way back. A friend of one of the teachers took the day off work to grill hot dogs and burgers, ready upon our arrival, after 2.5 hours of driving, at a picnic place.

Finally, today, I attended my favorite Unitarian Universalist tradition at my church -- the one that led me to join in the first place -- when a few of the 9th graders performed their Coming of Age spiritual statements in front of the congregation. It always brings a tear to my eye to see how amazingly mature these 15-year-olds can be, thanks in part to the great parenting and the church community that surrounds them.

There was the entertaining young man who created a film to show his belief in nature, energy, music and technology. The remarkably poised young woman I had the privilege to mentor who believes in the magic of a long run, of seeing light shine through the leaves, and of the piece of music she played for us on the piano (The Girl with the Flaxen Hair"). The quirky Molly Ringwald-like (ala Pretty in Pink) young woman, who had such eloquent points to make that I'm also writing about her in the "Thinking" blog. And another young man I taught two years ago at this church who has already surpassed my expectations of what a thoughtful, talented person he will become.

There are so many good spirits out there. Weeks like this I am profoundly reminded how great is the source of community connection when we find the right place to be -- for ourselves, for our children. Keep attuned to new experiences and new people and we'll find the Good Ones who add so much without even trying.

-- Mikki