Community is so important and in so many ways. People that have good relationships, that live in community, live longer and more fulfilled lives. The Harvard Stude of Adult Development shows the best lives, the happiest lives are those that have good relationships. Community. And we also accomplish more together than we do alone. This is especially true when it’s authentic community, community that challenges and inspires us to do difficult things, to be the best we can be. I am deeply grateful to belong to such a community.
This February, I was invited by @ThomasKowal and a bunch of his friends to join them to run Rim to Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon. I thought that was impossible for me. I was planning to do Rim to Rim but Rim to Rim to Rim, seemed outside of my grasp. However, with their encouragement, and support in the training, I completed that last Saturday and what an epic adventure, connection, and community. One of the things that I noticed immediately with all these guys is that we practiced authentic community, discussing about real things that really matter with full vulnerability from the beginning, we didn’t talk about work or what we do, but what we love, fear, how we are growing, our spiritual lives. I think a lot of these guys are really accomplished professionally, but quite frankly, I don’t even know because we didn’t talk about what we do. It was beautiful. And, drum roll please….. I completed the nearly 50 mile run/hike with their help and inspiration during the adventure itself. Being in community made me complete it faster and push myself harder and enjoy it more than I would have on my own. By being together and being there to share it with others that I trust and love in this band of brothers that we created was magical.
So I really encourage you to make sure that you have community in your life, an authentic community where you’re vulnerable and open and challenging and sharing things that you love and that are important to you and your fears and weaknesses, not just your status and your work and your shiny outsides, but your vulnerable and messy insides as well. Whatever you’re doing this weekend, make sure you do some of it and community and your life will be richer, more meaningful, more challenging and much more interesting and adventurous because of it.
Have a great weekend.
Yours in adventure,
Art
#community #authenticcommunity #adventure #bandofbrothers #ironsharpensiron #inspiration #R2R2R #GrandCanyon #moretogether
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