Choosing a community

I've been thinking about "community" a lot since reading Tuesdays with Morrie. There is a line in the book that says, "The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning." (from _Tuesday's With Morrie_ pp. 43)

Mitch, the author of the book and Morrie's student, remarked that Morrie had "created" a community for himself. That was the springboard for a lot of different thoughts.

When I first read the quote, I was just thinking about the community that I became a part of when I moved to this house. My church. My town. My neighborhood.

It seems, though, that the community that Mitch was talking about was an active choice for Morrie: people that he intentionally surrounded himself with, not people that came with his place of living.

I have begun thinking about what community I have *chosen* for myself.

I am active in my church, however, in my church we are told which location to attend rather than seeking out a "church family", so in a way, this community is forced on me. I can choose to be active in this church group, or I can choose another.

Today is 12/31/18. What I wrote above is from 2/5/11

Much has changed. I have intentionally chosen a community now, and am doing just what Morrie spoke of.
I feel welcomed. I feel accepted. I feel valued. What a difference *choosing* makes.