this morning i was reading about this
phenomenon whereby hundreds of varieties of spiders have come together to weave a massive web over a state park pond in
texas. this is unusual in that spiders are typically loners, and often
canibalistic. scientists believe that the abundance of summer rains (and as a result, the abundance of mosquitoes and other food) reduced their competition with one another and allowed for a community of cooperation. together, with one giant web, they are able to catch more food than one could do alone.
that got me thinking about community. several years ago,
robert putnam authored a book called
bowling alone which decried the decline of neighborhoods and relationships. his premise was that we are so wrapped up in ourselves in this day and age that we no longer focus on building relationships with our neighbors/friends and give of ourselves to others. in that self-absorption we find loneliness and isolation, and in that isolation and loneliness we live unsatisfying lives. his call was for us to become more engaged in the community - through service and by building relationships.
this past
sunday, pastor
adam preached on friendship and its importance in the life of a growing christian. he talked about the value of solid friends who call you on the carpet when you're wrong, who support you when you cry, who laugh with you during moments of happiness, who you can call in the middle of the night if you have to. he reminded us of the importance of friends, and reminded us that it is not good for any of us to be alone. his words made me think of my own life and how i have a lot of friends, but very few close friends.
i know i've blogged before on this subject, but it continues to be on my mind. i'm convinced that the most meaningful friendships i will have ever experienced were in college. in part it's because of the environment there. at no other time will i be surrounded by friends who live, study, work and hang out together. at college i was also surrounded by friends who were at the same stage in their lives - all single, all young, all energetic. i miss those times and the friendships i had back then. today, though i have friends i care deeply about, i only see them every once in a while. we're all in different stages - some single, some married, some married with kids, some working, some homemakers, some even retired. it's so much harder, particularly for people like me who tend to be wall flowers.
i'm struck at times like these when a single common theme keeps popping up in my life. it's obvious to me that my recognition of the recent themes of relationships and friendships - and my need to invest in them - is a call to action.
i'm just not sure where to start.
