Yesterday was my birthday. It was full of all sorts of precious moments\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2026 waking up, thanking God for a beautiful, mild temp day in the smack-dab, middle of summer\u2026
\n\u2026 indulging in toasted coconut donuts \u2014 a treat \u2014 also a favorite\u2026
\n\u2026 attending a baseball game \u2014 with sweet seats \u2014 an all time favorite pastime\u2026<\/p>\n
There was some work, too, to complete this day, as my current \u201cto do list\u201d remains ongoing and especially active. But work is a necessary part of life; it made sense that some would be true on my birthday, too.<\/p>\n
But the simple key I wish to speak of this day stems from the warm and witty wishes shared with me throughout the day\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2026 cards in the mailbox\u2026
\n\u2026 calls and texts on the phone\u2026
\n\u2026 meetings face-to-face\u2026
\n\u2026 greetings via social media\u2026
\n\u2026 from the moment I awoke until I went to bed\u2026<\/p>\n
It was so fun to hear from hundreds\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2026 my family\u2026
\n\u2026 friends\u2026
\n\u2026 persons I\u2019ve treasured for decades\u2026
\n\u2026 persons I\u2019ve treasured for days\u2026<\/p>\n
But here\u2019s the part that made me scrap what I previously intended to share this day\u2026<\/p>\n
I am a big believer in community:<\/em> a feeling of fellowship amid a group of people, doing some sense of life together, with a common interests or set of values. Yesterday, I got a sweet sense of authentic community.<\/p>\n I heard from all sorts of people\u2026<\/p>\n \u2026 from 9 to 95\u2026 My point is this: none of the above differences diminished the community experienced yesterday. None of the above differences got in the way. In other words, we didn\u2019t let our individual differences trump what\u2019s most important\u2026 that is \u2014 dare said on my birthday \u2014 loving one another well.<\/p>\n I felt the love, respect, and appreciation that all people deserve regardless of individual difference.<\/p>\n I felt community.<\/em><\/p>\n And it was good.<\/em><\/p>\n Thank you to those of you who reached out yesterday. Thank you even more for the contagious example of authentic community you modeled to the rest of us. \u2028\u2028Let\u2019s not allow differences to obstruct what is good. Let\u2019s not choose that. Instead, let us allow those differences to educate and sharpen one another.<\/p>\n Respectfully\u2026 always\u2026 Yesterday was my birthday. It was full of all sorts of precious moments\u2026 \u2026 waking up, thanking God for a beautiful, mild temp day in the smack-dab, middle of summer\u2026 \u2026 indulging in toasted coconut donuts \u2014 a treat \u2014 also a favorite\u2026 \u2026 attending a baseball game \u2014 with sweet seats \u2014 an all … <\/p>\n
\n\u2026 men, women\u2026
\n\u2026 children, teens, college kids, adults, and the elderly\u2026
\n\u2026 my college friends, my kids\u2019 friends\u2026
\n\u2026 friends from elementary or high school\u2026
\n\u2026 friends from baseball, show choir, church or even my favorite vet\u2019s office\u2026
\n\u2026 singles, married, widows, and divorced\u2026
\n\u2026 gay, straight\u2026
\n\u2026 black, white, Latino, etc\u2026
\n\u2026 Christian, Jewish, Muslim, even agnostic and atheist\u2026
\n\u2026 Democrat, Republican, and WBNRN (\u201cWant to Be Nothing Right Now\u201d)\u2026<\/em>
\n\u2026 white collar, blue collar, and varied levels of education\u2026
\n\u2026 friends from all across the globe.<\/p>\n
\nAR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"