I once lived in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It's one of the largest countries in Central Asia. There were no children in our family at the time and my wife and I learned at least one thousand things while living there. Some were easy, some hard, but all were extremely valuable and wonderful. One thing we learned was the value of community.
Did you know the word community is derived from the Latin word communitas (cum, "with/together" + munus, "gift")? I didn't know that...you didn't either.
Kazakhstan is almost exactly half way around the world from where I live. As far as I know half way around the world is the farthest I can be before coming closer to where I am. (I'm not good at math, so my smart friends will let me know about physics and dimensions I'm not thinking of.) But that's not the point. The point is I was really far away from all the comfort of what I had grown to be familiar with: smells, sights, languages, culture, manners, cuisine...and people.
I remember being in a local home for a family dinner one night. We ate something I wasn't familiar with. We listened to music I wasn't familiar with. In fact, most of the conversations were in a language I barely understood, so that was unfamiliar too. But after the meal, we crammed in the small den and sat around with full bellies and something was very familiar. It was community. (With + Together + Gift.)
Just three weeks ago we moved to a new town. We didn't move for a job. We didn't move for a better climate. We moved for community. We moved because my bride is happy and healthy when she is in community. I am safer and supported in community. We moved because my children will ask me "Daddy why did we move here?" And I will have an excellent answer for them.
We have community here. I guess we could have it anywhere, but we are here and so is our community. Our together. Our with. Our gift. There was this guy named John Donne and he said: No man is an island, entirely to himself. I think John was telling me: Steven, you cannot (nor were you designed) to thrive while being isolated from others. I know, because I've had life with community, and life without.
It's not often in life that you find really good friends. I'm not old, but I know people who are, and they tell me that good friends are hard to find. I believe them. I'm almost positive if I ever experience a "death bed" I may have some regrets, that's only human. But I don't think I'll ever regret investing in community. Investing in the with+together+gift.
