I’ve always been a solid, stay-in-one-place kind of person. However, the last couple of years have been riddled with transition and change in my life. Perhaps more than the last decade combined.
Needless to say, it’s rough. It’s been rough. And in some ways, it’s still rough.
Today on {in}courage I am writing about staying awhile, kicking off my shoes and really LIVING community, and about “moving into the neighborhood.”
Community: Moving into the Neighborhood
I’ve visited lots of places, but I’ve never lived in Paris or London. I’ve walked through the Louvre and through the British Museum, but I’ve have not made either city my home.
I’ve been to Washington DC, and in fact, besides Los Angeles which is in my back yard, DC might be the city in the U.S. that I’ve visited most frequently. But I have never lived in the city. The Library of Congress: love it. Georgetown Cupcakes: to die for but get there early. Tourist attractions by the armload in all different seasons: in February it was too cold to walk on the Mall and in July it was too humid to walk in the same place. I’ve been to DC. But even so, I’ve never made it my home.
They say that until you live in a city for 2 years or 4 years or more you don’t really KNOW it. You can’t really get to know the people, the good and the bad restaurants, the vibe, or the essence of a place until you’ve walked in, set down your luggage, and unpacked it. Instead of bringing your reading material from home, you get a local library card. Instead of dropping by the take out place for dinner, you buy ingredients to make a meal. Instead of seeing only the museums and cathedrals, you visit the parks, the Tuesday night summer festivals and the concerts-on-the-green. You live like a local.
We can’t really experience a place until we do a couple things: intend to stay and then actually stay…
To finish reading, click here.
Sometimes it’s not the place that makes the community but the people who reside there. Everyone is replaceable.
http://irishtripletsrecovery.blogspot.com/
“Do I dig in and stay through this difficult thing even though I’m dying inside? Or is God telling us it’s time to leave? We have ‘stayed put’ for 12 years; maybe it’s time to turn the page.”
These are the near-exact-questions we’re wrestling with right now. And I’m still honestly not sure of the answer for us.
I’m usually a long-haul-dig-in-deep-relationship person…a couple, close friends for life…a church family that is truly FAMILY.
We’re on 15 years at the same spot–but we’ve been struggling there for the past 2-3 years. Anyway–I appreciated this post.
I guess I tend to think that the “right” answer is to stay…but that’s why I appreciated the freedom and possibility in the post…that there may be a time when it’s okay to leave, as well.
Still processing/praying through it all…but it feels a bit like I’ve been withering there for the last while.
I found this in my Google reader (I subscribe to (in)Courage) and I was moved by this! I am relatively new to my area and just yesterday I was leaving my bible study wondering if I would ever feel like I fit in. This post hit me right when I needed it! Then I realized that I think we have a mutual friend – I grew up with Kara Kae and I think she’s mentioned you a time or two when she lived in CA! (A bit random, I know!)
Thank you again!
yea! i knew her when she lived here for awhile. now she’s back in OK. =) they are a very sweet family.
Sarah: I love your blog! You are a super writer and reading them on your blogs make me feel so good. Keep up the marvelous and blessed activities. Right now, I am recuperating from a sinus infection, but couldn’t reply. I am so appreciative getting to be a part, enjoying, praying and love your awesome thoughts!!!