Skip to main content

Community flash

The meals shared too many to count...
Just like T.S. Eliot - "My life is measured in coffee spoons." - or in my case, tea.
So much laughter, questions, nerves and chatter -
until we relax in the space of that moment and before we know it we become friends.

Then change moves in again like the breeze of a lake and pushes us to shift yet again.
To a new place, to a concept that we'd only hoped we'd start to understand and then with some discussion, some conflict and a listening ear and mind - our hearts grow larger.

We are community - growing again.

Then the cars were waiting, the trains and planes sighed with us as we boarded and headed back to where we came from - but we are not the same. We are changed, grown, challenged and loved in this community - this new family. I know we won't wait for the reunion to talk again because I already miss you.

Thank you for being my home away from home, thank you for being my tribe, thank you for being yourself and encouraging me to be myself too.

This flash of true community is the biggest parcel I'm taking home - knowing that there is still so much more yet to come.

T.L. Eastman April 2010
Labels:

Comments

Mel said…
Funny that.
There's always room for more in my life--sounds like you found more! THAT--is a very cool thing.
6:26 AM EST
Tara Lamont said…
And now I'm missing it - being away from this community now makes be better understand how unique it is!
9:10 AM EST
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sometimes things are just too small

Sweet Dreams by David Whyte from 'The House of Belonging' When your eyes are tired the world is tired also. When your vision has gone no part of the world can find you. Time to go into the dark where the night has eyes to recognize its own. There you can be sure you are not beyond love. The dark will be your womb tonight. The night will give you a horizon further than you can see. You must learn one thing. The world was made to be free in. Give up all other worlds except the one to which you belong. Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet confinement of your aloneness to learn anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you. The slumber of winter has transitioned into spring. The season of lent's wilderness journey has carried us to a time of resurrection, joy and new life. This poem by David Whyte speaks about transition and change. According to the poet's perspective, a time of rest or dreaming can lead to an opportunity for growth, developme...
2 comments
Read more

Sunny and rainy day friends

There are two kinds of friends in the world: Sunny day friends and rainy day friends. This is a statement that my Mom used to remind me of when I was in the midst of drama or conflict with one school friend of another. There are lots of people that we define as friends, but they are really acquaintances. Two men were out hunting in the northern U.S. Suddenly one yelled and the other looked up to see a grizzly charging them. The first started to frantically put on his tennis shoes and his friend anxiously asked, "What are you doing? Don't you know you can't outrun a grizzly bear?" "I don't have to outrun a grizzly. I just have to outrun you!" This story is funny, but it does help define the distinct difference between a rainy day friend and a sunny day friend. The sunny-day-friend is more concerned with watching out for their own health and wellness, than their friends' wellbeing. On the other hand, a rainy day friend is willing to take risks, work fo...
3 comments
Read more

FCE - Dog stroke in spine

Kahlúa is our 15 year old dog that we adopted from the Humane Society when she was four. She joined our family and has been with us for eleven years so far. This morning we found her laying on the carpet in the dining room and was unable to get up and go outside. After letting her rest for a few hours, I gave her some bread to eat and she got up. She was wobbly so I scooped her up and took her outside to go to the bathroom. She managed to remain standing for a few minutes, but was back down quickly. Her back legs did not want to support her even though she was trying to walk. By this point, she had begin to cry so I called the vet and they said to bring her in for an evaluation. My kids and I tearfully wrapped her up in a blanket and drove to the vet. It seemed as if we were sitting in the waiting room forever. The vet told me that her heart, eye function, and lungs were great - also taking into consideration her age of 15! The problem seemed to be FCE - firocartilanginous embolism: w...
17 comments
Read more