It Starts With an Invitation
It's been several weeks since I last shared with you, but that wasn't by accident or because I let the busyness of life get in the way. I purposely waited because I wanted to have something to report, so to speak. And I am beyond excited and humbled that I do.
If you will recall, my last post was about brightening the corner where you are. In other words, it is up to each of us to build our personal community. To seek out and nuture friendships. To make friends and to be a friend to others. I am happy to report that finally (and I do mean finally), after several years of feeling somewhat displaced and being kept at arm's length, I no longer feel that way. I now have a community of friends. We are happily working towards being closer to one another, being there for one another, and really knowing one another.
And it all started with an invitation.
I took a look at the people around me--those literally living around me. I chose a handful of women I believed would be somewhat like-minded in that we would share some common interests, be women of faith, and who would be fun and easy to be around. After I'd decided whom I thought I would make a good friend to, and who just might want to be my friend, I invited them to my home to share my thoughts and some ideas I have on how to make our neighborhood and our little community kinder, safer, friendlier, and more enjoyable place to live. I put it out there that I was no longer content with just being here. If I was going to live here, I needed to make it home. They agreed wholeheartedly with unanimous 'count me in' attitude.
To date we have gifted first responders with homemade treats, donated to the school's 'closet' for children in need, have hosted a neighborhood social, provided meals to a neighbor in need of some TLC, and have had a couple of special treats for the kids in our neighborhood. We are also making a conscious effort to support small businesses in our little town. And becoming good friends in the process of it all.
And again--it all started with a simple invitation. So, I'm going to issue another one. This time I want to invite YOU to embrace your neighborhood. Make it a place you enjoy dwelling in. Make a place where you know you can count on at least a few people to be your friends and share life with. In case you haven't noticed, you need to know that this world is kinda messed up. Most of the problems are bigger than you and I, but they all started out as little things. Little things that grew bigger and bigger because no one bothered to brighten the corner where they were.
Be a corner brightener!
Darla
