Last week reminded me why community matters.
As the director of a nonprofit, my days are full, and by 6:00 p.m. I'm usually exhausted. Evening meetings are often the first thing I skip. But last week I attended two gatherings that reminded me why showing up is worth it.
There was a community dinner hosted by my friend Steve Roussos and his team at Sam Café. There was
no real agenda-just people sharing a meal together. Community members, nonprofit leaders, and neighbors from all walks of life sat together, shared about their work, and then simply talked. There was
a buzz in the room as young and old, people from different ethnic backgrounds, and people from different socioeconomic circumstances got to know one another. It was rich, joyful, and deeply
encouraging.
Earlier that day I attended another gathering with members of ALF, the American Leadership Forum,
where we talked about loyalty and integrity, learning how to stay in the room with people who see the world differently than we do.
Both gatherings reminded me that community doesn't just happen-it has to be cultivated.
Too often we let disagreements, sometimes over surprisingly small things, cost us relationships. We
retreat into our own circles and echo chambers. Yet we were created for community, not isolation. We need to learn to disagree and still remain friends, to value one another's stories, and to recognize that
our differences can make us stronger rather than remain divided.
Jim Henderson summarizes it well with what he calls The Three Practices:
"I'll practice being unusually interested in others.
I'll practice staying in the room with difference.
I'll stop comparing my best with your worst."
Imagine what could happen if more of us lived this way. Our communities would be healthier, our conversations richer, and our relationships deeper.
Community is built one conversation, one meal, and one story at a time.