Daily Archives: September 22, 2009

I grew up in a very small town. The big city had two stop lights and was surrounded by farms.  As Mama said, if you blinked, you’d miss it. I couldn’t wait to leave that map dot. Everyone knew everyone’s business. It drove me crazy.

I guess I blinked because once I left, I missed that place deeply and often. Kind of shocking, really. The East Coast offers the anonymity I longed for, but that seeming invisibility gets old.

We’ve lived here for five years now. That’s the longest I’ve been in one spot since high school. We’ve put down some roots, gotten established in a great church and — dare I say? — built community. Since my kickboxing adventure last week I have had strangers ask after me. People I knew, but who I believed didn’t know me, have checked on my health and called to make sure I’m okay.

Now, the kickboxing thing was funny. It was a one-day crazy adventure, but that’s it. I’m not dying. I was never truly at risk of dying (I don’t think). It was just a silly little event through which I was forced to admit I’m no longer twenty. But the resulting outflow of concern has been really cool! It seemed I got all this attention for nothing (a little something, but relatively nothing) and I loved it. Rick said he half expected singing telegrams and floral bouquets to arrive at our door. I’m not Ferris Bueller, even if I do bust out a loud version of “Danke Schoen.”

I loved it not because of the attention, but because it felt like home. It seemed like that little mapdot I’ve been missing suddenly moved east with different faces. Home is not about location or culture; it’s about community. It’s when you’re convinced you belong and others are eager to prove it.

“Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galations 6:2

That’s what I witnessed this week. Pretty awesome, really, even if tremendously humbling.

Now, just for fun …