Let's Get Together

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to take part in the celebration of the life of Tom Deem. If you have read my blog before, I wrote a post about him in July as I was honored to write a tribute for his funeral service. He passed away in July after a brief battle with mesothelioma, but continues to live on in our hearts. As I mentioned before, Tom's passion was motorcycles. He was the president of the local Antique Motorcycle Club and they pulled together a memorial ride in honor of Tom last weekend. It was the coolest thing ever! Watching tough guys in leather getting teary and honoring one of their fallen comrades. Coming together to support Sherri and the girls. Taking a moment out of their lives to ride and love and come together as a community for Tom. I didn't expect to be so emotional, but I was! Watching the tears, being part of the pre-ride prayer and the blessing of the bikes, listening to the rumble of the bikes as they started off on their ride, listening to the stories of Tom while we stood around the campfire at the BBQ after the run, hearing my own girls tell me again how much they miss him, but can still hear his laugh and see his smile. The biker community loved and respected Tom. And from what I can tell they are careful to watch over and take care of Sherri and the girls also. This community of people, coming together, to celebrate a wonderful man and to share love. What a blessing!

I have thought a lot about community lately. It maybe started with Tom's ride. Thinking about the people that were a part of that group. Thinking about the bonds that were formed

 within that group. How they help and rely on each other. How they take time for each other. How they love and support and care for each other. 

I have struggled a bit over the past few months. My first instinct when I am struggling? It isn't to reach out for help. It's to pull away. To push everyone away and isolate myself. I just don't know how to do emotion very well so to save face in front of people I push away the very people that I so desperately need. In the midst of one of these moments, one friend told me that God intended for us to be in community. To not be alone and suffer without assistance. That word: community again. 

I had a teacher friend in my office today. We talked about her kids and the struggles that she is having with behaviors in her class. We brainstormed and talked and tried to come up with a solution. And as I walked away from that conversation I thought of the whole "it takes a villiage" idea. The fact that there is a community needed to raise and teach these kiddos and if even one link is missing from that community, we end up with kids who are lost and confused and naughty and not ready to learn. They act up and act out and we are left with frustrated kids and frustrated parents and frustrated teachers. They need all of the adults in their lives to come together to help guide them through, or push and pull them through if they are not a willing participant in the process. Community. 

Tonight, I went to my first weigh in after re-joining WeightWatchers meetings. I have been frustrated with how things are going with my weight loss (or lack of weight loss is more like it) so I joined meetings. And it was magical! I lost 10.6 pounds in my first week back! So proud of myself! When they asked what the secret to my successful week was? My answer was community! I needed the love and support of people in a meeting who knew my struggle and were willing to guide me through this process (or more likely push and pull me through as a sometimes unwilling participant.) Community!

So I stand on the verge of October. My heart races with fear and anxiety. My soul wounds surrounding this month run deep. I love the fall and all it has to offer, but I despise October, for that was the month when our lives came to a screeching halt. I am diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and October is a trigger for all of the awfulness that that disorder entails. Just thinking about turning the calendar makes my stomach upset and my heart race. How am I ever going to survive? How am I ever going to get through? Community. I belong to a wonderful community. Several actually. My community at work. My family and friends community. My community within my church.  My WeightWatchers community.  My community that I am a part of on Facebook and through people that read my blogs.  And even that rough and tough biker community. I know there are lots of people that love and care for me and the girls. That will give us the space we need when we need it, but will be right there to catch us when we fall, hold our hand when we are scared, hold us when we cry, love us when the day is rough, and just be there, silently supporting us and holding us up in loving prayer to our Heavenly Father. 

God truly intended for us to be in community with others. And I rejoice and thank Him dearly for all of the wonderful people He has placed in mine!

Be thankful for your communities...and be active in them also! You never know who you might need to bolster up. And you never know who you might need as a part of your community. It could even be a rough and tough biker. 

I love you, Tom!  I'm so honored to be in his family's community! And it's so good to have a guardian angel in mine!