Gathering

They say it takes a village to raise a child but… I think it takes a village for all of us to thrive. Certainly we can live and breathe and function without real connection…. And no one enjoys and needs alone time more than I. But to really live… a gathering creates space for joy.

Gatherings for celebrations, rituals, life events, plain old good news and yes, survival, can be traced in every ancient culture from the beginning of time. From the Druids at Stonehenge, the West African Gullah culture on the sea islands of North Carolina and south, the first settlers, the American Indians…. every culture on every continent seeks to gather. After all, when you have good news, what is your first instinct? Sure, you can jump up and down by yourself. But, what then? You want to share it, I think.

Never was this more evident to me than when my whole family gathered recently for a wedding, two birthdays and the surprise of an upcoming birth. Every single member of my immediate family was present, with one exception, which in itself was nothing short of a minor miracle. We span across three thousand miles and six states. What I remember is the joy. Sure, there was a bit of drama. What good gathering doesn’t have that? But mostly pure joy. The faces of people I love. That’s what I remember. That’s what I take with me till the next gathering.

In the meantime, I gather with friends whom I love, for our celebrations and well, just because. I never take it for granted.