Community

Part 1:

So I have been trying to write this post for over 24 hours now and I just can't seem to get out what I actually want to say. I consider myself to be reasonably articulate except when it comes to trying to express things that are very close to my heart. This is one of those things. So... instead of messing it up, I'll keep it short and sweet. Community is essential. It prevents me from becoming a small human being. The community I had have in Cincinnati was life-changing. The community I am becoming a part of here in Nashville is wonderful and I'm excited to go deeper with all of you. Ok, enough of that.

Part 2:

I am wearing cool shoes today. I know what you're thinking - "What does this have to do with community?" Well, these are special shoes. They're called Toms (Shoes for Tomorrow). Go to their website to find out all of the good details (and pick up a pair while you're at it). In short, this company was started to provide shoes to people who would otherwise go without them. The way it works is that for every pair of Toms shoes that you buy, one pair is given to a person who needs them. Before I heard about Toms, the thought that there were people (many people, most of them children) in the world that couldn't afford shoes really never entered my mind. However, this is a huge problem in places like South America and Africa. Going barefoot in impoverished areas is very dangerous because it significantly increases the risk of contracting soil transmitted parasites like hookworms - very nasty little creatures that can lead to some serious consequences especially if you aren't the healthiest person to begin with. The bottom line is that I often forget that I am part of a much bigger community of human beings and owning a pair of Toms shoes is one small thing that helps me remember that.