We are so blessed. I am so blessed. Last week, I required emergency surgery. I have been reflecting on my experience and can’t help feeling blessed. Everyone that I encountered the paramedics, the ER staff, nursing staff and surgical staff were incredibly professional, compassionate, and kind. There have been so many people checking in and checking up on me; I am eternally grateful.
During the past week, I have a lot of time to read and scroll through Instagram and Facebook. I came across a post of a person who was lamenting that “things are not the way they used to be.” As I read the thread, I realized that what really saddened this person was the demise of the community that she knew from the past.
“Community” is so easy to say. It describes a connection - an experience so common, so simple, yet so complex. Community is the relationships among people that share a sense of trust, belonging, safety, and caring for each other. The feeling of community must be treasured. Most of us belong to multiple communities: families, neighborhoods, towns, schools, teams, virtual and yes, faith communities. (We describe our faith community as Communion – common union.)
What I learned from the Facebook thread was that being in community does take some effort. We must nurture the community that we value and the relationships we value. That sense of belonging and caring don’t happen without some work on every member’s part.
As I said, I am blessed. I am blessed to have the family and friends that I have. I am blessed to be part of the local Hopedale/Milford community and especially blessed to be part of the Catholic Community of Sacred Heart.
What communities are you grateful for?
Pam Chaplin