Day 15: Relaxing in Community

Up here in rainy Washington State, it feels like it has been dreary forever. Some years, summer comes in May, but this year, it looks like we’re going to have to wait until July to feel the warmth of the sun again. All of which means I keep watching TV shows and movies about tropical paradises and wishing I could be laying in a hammock on a beach.

Of course, even if I were in Hawaii, I wouldn’t be laying in a hammock. I’d be running around with the kids, swimming, getting snacks, making sure sunscreen was on, and dealing with the thousand little tasks that I already have to do here at home. The key, for me, isn’t going to some relaxing place, it’s learning how to relax in the place I’m in.

Community is much the same as my family. I can’t make hosting a dozen people easy. It’s not the hardest thing to do, but you have to be “on”. You have to clean and cook, and be friendly and helpful and welcoming and it won’t be relaxing for them if you can’t figure out how to relax into it.

Ask yourself today, what makes me most comfortable in group gatherings? Is it close friends you trust? Is it activities to keep kids occupied? Is it premade food? A comfy chair? As long as it’s not hurting anyone else, make those things a priority. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed everyone else can be.

How can you make community easier today?