“The Way We Gather” is a Woven blog series for sharing our experiences, stories, thoughts, and feelings about gathering. We hope to bring inspiration and permission to the way we gather in our own lives around the world.
A little over four years ago, our family moved away from our house that was situated in a fairly remote area close to the mountains and into a new home right in the heart of downtown Colorado Springs. There were several reasons for this move, but one of the things that drew us to a more populated part of the city was the opportunity to get to know our neighbors and the community we are a part of. I believe that women are often looking for ways to gather people, and this is one thing that makes us powerful and essential in our communities. However, I tend to struggle with feeling a little shy and it takes me some time to open up in a new context. Soon after I moved into the neighborhood, a mother of one of my daughter’s friends invited me to join a book club she had started. This is a group that meets monthly with about 9 other women. We come from different economic backgrounds, have different careers and life goals, and sometimes have very different ways of viewing the world. However, it is our differences that enrich our time together. Each month, one woman chooses a book we all read, and hosts us to discuss it. This has become a beautiful part of my life. Out of this group I have developed incredibly meaningful friendships and expanded my understanding of the world. I have been challenged to see the world through the eyes of other women, and we have been able to surround one another with emotional and practical support when there is a need. I feel immensely grateful for this rich community of women I have come to deeply enjoy, respect, and am challenged by. The simple, generous act by my friend to invite me to join this group has opened up my eyes to the power of belonging and the invitation to be a part of a group that values openness and vulnerability. It has challenged me to be more intentional in the ways that I see, value, and invite others into authentic expressions of community.
