Community

As we approached the year mark of our move, we were often asked if we felt settled in our new community.  That question was trickier to answer than you might think.  Our house is definitely our home, and we definitely feel at home in this neighborhood.  This neighborhood community is definitely a safe haven.  I also feel very much at home in the school community.  People connected to the schools, particularly the high school know me and I know them.  The town community though...that is a different story.  That is not something to which I feel connected.  This town is larger than our former town, but more than that I think it is the college factor.  In our old town, pretty much everyone was connected.  You had either lived there your entire life and had gone to school there, or you had moved in with your family and still your kids went to school there...the school was the central factor of the town.  Here, lots of people have absolutely nothing to do with the school system, and it's just different.

Yesterday's sermon at church was also about community and reconciliation/forgiveness.  Last August and September, I wrote often about our friend who had so blatantly disrespected us.  I was fairly certain the friendship was irreparable.  I was literally losing sleep because I was dreaming about the situation.  These friends were invited to my birthday gathering because I felt it was the right thing to do...I basically didn't plan to spend any time with them and to focus on people I really wanted to see, particularly those that came from out of town.  Then my dad died just two days before the gathering, and when they walked in the door I walked right over to them and gave them both a hug.  Two days later I saw them again, as they made the 40 minute trip to my hometown to attend my father's visitation.  Things will never be the same, but they can still be good.  We also know that Bob realizes this is a second chance for our friendship.  Not once during this past spring did he ever mention the team he was coaching...not how they were doing or ever even mention the word baseball.  He understands it is a subject best avoided with us.  For our part, moving allowed us space and perspective.  It also keeps our kids from ever being in direct competition with theirs, and that is a good thing for our friendship as well.  I am grateful for the fun memories we made over the many years, and I am grateful we have found a way to still be a part of each other's lives.