Growing up, I lived in a small town next to a big city. But regardless of the large population next door, there was always the Community Within. I was well acquainted with the likes of my buddy, Jerry, and some of the grownups like Mr. Patrick, (Usually but not always they were from my church family).
However, I wasn’t acquainted with everyone in my town, nor was I even aware of most of them. Just like everyone else I was tuned into those of my Community Within. In my town it was people from three areas that combined to create my Community Within. They were my school, including teachers and fellow classmates, my church including some of the aforementioned classmates, and others from the general church-goers and my neighborhood. Of course, there was a lot of crossover between the three areas.
As you can see, if you were able to stick with me through the description of my Community Within, I set that forth to illustrate what I believe is typical of how we live together. As a matter of fact, when Dianne and I visited our very good friend Pappy Daniel who runs a mission in India, I saw essentially the same community makeup. Now I must admit I haven’t traveled everywhere, but my guess is that virtually everyone has a Community Within, no matter where they abide.
So okay, what about right here? It has to do with you and just who you are. In all likelihood you have centers of interest that drive you into action. Perhaps your Community Within consists of your local community, your work place, the theater, local market place and your church fellowship. But it may also include friends and relatives living or doing business in other communities such as…wait, there are far too many. I won’t go there.
Only you can determine your Community Within. I fully understand that you may not have so much as a ‘hair’s breadth’ of interest or even so much as thinking about such folderol. It’s just that I was considering how my life had taken on new interests and new faces. Dianne and I put down new roots here in The Garden of Eads a little more than two years ago.
Herein lies my challenge to you if you find any value in taking a look at your Community Within. First, consider how much each piece of your Community Within means to you. Would you be heartbroken if you were to lose this one or that one? Would it matter? If so, have you thought about making a list of each part that together makes up your Community Within? If any or all of this challenge makes a modicum of sense to you, I will feel like I have helped you develop a little more appreciation for your Community Within here in The Garden of Eads.
P.S. I like very much having you in my Community Within.
