Being One Community

Aka healing each other

Journal: 5 October, 2024, afternoon.

I have resolved to eat steamed broccoli and grilled chicken for the next week. Why? The usual reason: today was our First Saturday Brunch at Our Lady Of Lourdes and how can you not indulge in all the excellent menu items? To not feast would be to show less than proper gratitude for the occasion and the cooks. I tell myself that every time and every time it’s true.

We gather in the spirit of community and friendship and kindred spirits and joie de vivre and we pass a really good time, y’all. No one leaves hungry. Two hours of eating and talking, at least, and usually more. Lots of strong coffee, with whipping cream or Bailey’s, Mimosas (the classic or peach), Bloody Marys (the classic with celery or feta stuffed olives or both), and of course, the food. The food!

Today we had Shrimp and Grits, a huge Frittata with Chorizo and Pepper Jack cheese, baked to perfection in an enormous old cast iron skillet, sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, lovely hot crusty biscuits, assorted Kolache all the way from La Grange, Texas (Weikel’s Czech Bakery), lemon poppyseed tea bread, and cinnamon streusel coffee cake. We set up two long tables so we all sit together—which I love—and then we just enjoy it all.

I usually clean in the kitchen as I go, because who wants to come home to a messy kitchen, so the only things I have to wash are the two big crockpots which are soaking, and the trays I used. Tom is down helping a neighbor with router issues and I sent a big container of tea bread and cake with him for them. Since I’m only eating broccoli, you know… 😉 Entirely too tempting!

There’s just something about gathering and sharing good food with dear friends that heals the soul. It is the stuff of life.

We heal each other. That’s what community is, at its best.

Today, if you will, and can, contribute something to help the suffering communities so ravaged by the hurricane and flooding. Our women’s group sponsored many cases of water going on a truck and trailor headed up there.

We can stretch a little the boundaries of our usual community, and reach out in love and caring and mercy to the ones needing healing so much right now, can’t we? I mean, that’s what we call ourselves, right? The United States of America. One community. United. That’s us, at our best.

Let’s help. Let’s remember that we are one community, one human community, gathered here today in this time and this place to heal each other.

#journalingalife