Crossposted
Alone we are atoms, molecules. together we form the atmosphere, ambiance, ethos in which living can occur. water, warmth air… hesed, service. seeing the bigger picture of what we can be together and allowing that connection to take place is necessary. Even a water molecule is made of 3 atoms, not a single atom. connecting those three atoms to make a water molecule and then connecting water molecules to make water allows life to exist. We have to risk losing some of our individual identity as a hydrogen molecule or an oxygen molecule in order to come together to make water so that life is possible. We must risk losing some of our individuality, some of what we might think of as our “freedom” to come together to make living possible.

Always enjoy reading about our community partners in the newsletter, and seeing the snapshots of activity from the month. It’s a privilege being a part of this community and learning, walking, growing together. I often end my day coming to the take out window and the bistro to read and contribute to conversations. I find when I arrive sometimes I’m tired and fatigued after a long day but after reading and engagement I find a second wind of sorts that comes from being a part of community, being a part of something bigger and more important than self. Where my vision still tends to narrow focusing on this/that person, event or situation throughout the day, that perspective gets widened again when I come to this space and am reminded how the micro is the macro and how the macro has to be the micro inside of me in each of those individual situations and events of my day as well.

I had the honor of meeting Lace in person last month. I can imagine the beauty of her in this essay and it reminds me of the beauty of the people I spent last week with. Community. Made so much better when we are seeing each other in all of our beauty. Not pretending that we don’t see color. In fact, seeing the beauty in all the colors. Hearing L and R speak Spanish and speaking openly about the colorism that Z and L face as sisters with the same parents but very different hair. Working on it. Walking. Being community.

I’m so glad to have financially engaged with both of those community partners by financially engaging with LoR. I’m very disappointed in the July engagement though and hope we can all come together to meet goal next month as a community so we can wrap Lace and the community partners in a warm mist.

Lace, your message… it was like reading a warm hug wrapped in exhortation. What you said about craving community while also being afraid of it… ive been struggling so much lately and my walk has become a series of staggers and limps. And I’m embarrassed by it. And I’m frustrated and angry at myself. So I want to hide. But community isn’t hiding. It’s letting my falters be seen so that someone might offer me their walking stick. Community- and vulnerability- are to be embraced, not feared, because without them I would have stopped walking long ago. There’s this song I love: “it’s not the long walk home that will change this heart, but the welcome I receive with every start.” Thank you for the examples of welcomes at every start that you provide. I promise to keep working these muscles so there no longer needed

I love hearing about the community partners too! It’s always great to hear about new organizations doing new things and be a part of their mission through Lace on Race. I agree with Christin that Lace’s message felt like a warm hug! It’s challenging and disappointing to see a short fall every month. Still walking.