Dear Creativity,
Community creates a feeling of home
Outstretched arms welcome me over and over again
Making meaning of the world
Making creations to change the world
United with a common goal
Nurturing our needs and strongest desires
I am because we are
Two or more can transform for the greater good
Yes, sweet community I need you
I don’t know the last time I attempted to write an acrostic poem. Although it feels like elementary school, I am certain I dabbled in the acrostic arena at some point beyond those years. I am bringing the acrostic back. A simple yet effective way to reflect and work out your thoughts. It may be a simplistic way to write poetry, but a powerful way to get your thoughts out of your head and onto the page. I have been thinking about community a lot recently, Creativity.
A few days ago one of the stewards of a business community I am in suggested creating an in-person event with 6 people to host a conversation and gathering around topics that matter most to you. As members began to post their plans and how they were going to execute their gatherings, I began to try to create my list of six. Who could I invite for the meeting of the minds? Less than six people popped into my head, not because there weren’t people I wouldn’t want to sit at a table with, but because I began to feel pressed to think of people who would make the effort, not flake out, and truly be excited to spend time with me. Creativity, I have been not feeling the C.O.M.M.U.N.I.T.Y lately. This has me thinking…
Are we too busy, overwhelmed, or stressed to make the effort to tend to our communities?
Perhaps this is the season of communities of two. Perhaps my group of six is supposed to be 3 groups of 2. Or maybe it is an open invitation and the first six people are the six people who are supposed to be sitting at the proverbial table. The gathering should not be complicated and when it is, perhaps it is a sign that is just not the season for the community to take hold.
As I ponder this question of community and our ability to nurture it, I’m reminded of the ebb and flow of human connection. Perhaps, my friend, we’re not too busy or overwhelmed to tend to our communities, but rather, we’re in a phase of redefining what community means to us. Maybe, Creativity, the answer lies in the simplicity of connection. Just as an acrostic poem doesn’t need complex rhymes or meter to convey meaning, our communities don’t always need grand gatherings or perfectly curated groups to thrive. Sometimes, the most profound connections happen in pairs, in those intimate conversations where ideas spark and souls align.
What if the challenge of forming this group of six is an invitation to be more open, and more flexible in my approach to community? Perhaps it’s calling me to let go of my preconceptions about who “should” be there and instead welcome whoever shows up with open arms and curious minds. In the end, Creativity, isn’t that what community is all about? It’s not about perfection or meeting some arbitrary number. It’s about creating spaces – big or small – where people feel welcomed, heard, and inspired. It’s about nurturing those connections, however, they may form, and trusting that the right people will come together at the right time.
Let’s be real, Creativity, I will always fret about the numbers because I am trying to build a business after all, but moving forward I will try to see beyond the numbers or the logistics. Instead, I’ll set my focus on fostering genuine connections, whether it’s with one person or six. Let’s trust in the power of authentic interactions to build the communities we crave, one conversation at a time.
After all, community, like creativity, often flourishes in the most unexpected ways when we simply open our hearts and let it unfold naturally. Creativity, do you have to be so smart? Through my fingertips you always manage to dole out just want I (we) need to hear.
Innovatively yours,
Dr. Abigail
