Living in Mixed Communities: Thriving through the the Human Experience

Dear Readers-

This is a picture from last week's Social Studies training in Charlottesville, VA!  Yay! for a beer with my husband in the free hotel room the training paid for!

It was a lovely time learning about Charlottesville history of integrated public schools and how to document the untold stories of our regions.  It was about 12-15 of us from all over the state and
I. absolutely. loved. it.

I. AM. A. SUCKER. FOR. MIXED. COMMUNITIES.

I think everyone should intentional mix and mingle to authentically grow and learn who you are in the context  of this world.
You'll be surprised and, even, at times, heartbroken to where those self-reflections take you.
Nonetheless, enter Jesus, and you'll be empowered to know 
He. has a. plan. of. impact. for. you. wherever. you. are. at.

Only in mixed community settings- hearts yearn for more change.

The constant newness of a mixed community keeps that yearning healthy  so you don't feel stuck or become stuck
being your own one-type of person surrounded by other one-type of people too.
It's more comfortable FOR SURE, but it's dangerously sedative.   
Really, where's the growth and adventure in that?

As a mom of young humans, my kids follow my lead in everything I do.
Going to school, church, or even being in the neighborhood-  I just don't want them profiling people as they pass them or share playground space.

I really desire my children to find comfort in mixed communities- naturally curious about other people's lives.
Maybe then, they will grow up knowing other people matter too.
I. want. them. to. hunger. for. a. world. outside. of. themselves.

This is my background...

Growing up as a minority in America, you always do things and even say things a little differently then your typical American.  Because of this, I am always drawn to other people and cultures who stick out like I do.  Around other asians, blacks, and other minorities were just the cultures I was most comfortable with- because we shared that X- american experience.

When I started working/teaching, there were a few minorities in the building, but not many.  Actually, my Kindergarten team was all white, but half of them were really, awesome seasoned teachers (20+ years- Mike and Nancy hello!).  Between them being my rock-solid go-to people and the number of awesome seasoned Reading Specialists I had-  I grew more and more in love with Older, wiser experienced people too.

This came into play again when I started my relationship with Jesus.  I clung to the older, wiser experienced people to show me the way.  However, when we moved to South Carolina, Ben and I joined a young, married couples group.  That's when we started growing to love the  people in and around our stage of life -some with and without kids.  It was really cool getting to know everyone's different stories from work or home- and still sharing some of our struggles together.  We laughed together. prayed together. and just hung out.  It was really cool.

Fast forward three years from then, we moved back home to Chesapeake, VA.  We found a church that had a little of all the things above.  Half of the small congregation was filipino and a good range of seasoned/new believers.  We had a mix of families and ages which was fun to walk into.  

We joined Young Life and grew a heart for teenagers.  I volunteered with my sorority and worked with college kids. When I became a Young Life leader, all our teammates were in college so it all seemed to blend together.  With all of these experiences, I learned to listen first to others.  Then, wait and listen to the Lord.  These people stirred up an appreciation of culture, grace, and prayer in terms of other people's lives.  I loved being with these people because it reminded me about how real human struggle is in the mind and heart.

Two different churches later, three different moves, 4 kids, and a full time job, I am MORE in love with ALL types of humans- different ages, races, life stories, economic backgrounds, and stages of life.  

Having my own kids only heightened my fixation  for the human experience. 

There is only so much you can learn ALONE. 

it doesn't matter how knowledgable the source... 

The best lessons in life are learned with or around others.

Disclaimer:

Like most young people raised in these modern times, I fell into the trap of thinking at one point in time that the human experience online was just as good as in person.  I mean I met my husband online and got two dogs online as well.  Though it is more convenient, it seems to be dangerously deceiving.  The etiquettes of posting and texting do not match real world conversations.

Even pictures or videos of experiences don't really encapsulate the entirety of the real emotions, context, conversations, and personal connections that were involved.
If you grow too accustomed to this world being your only sense of mixing and mingling in your daily life, you'll also grow anxious or scared of real emotions, context, conversations, and personal connections in the real world- not because, you can't handle it, but because its too foreign and new.  
As hard as the world can be to live in at times, it's in the real world, we are born into and we are asked to navigate through as humans together.
Before social media, it was the way of life.  
Even after social media, in my experience, it's still the way of life.
Build a good habit and stay in physical contact with people around you.  Have two- way conversations that involve an exchange of listening and feedback.
People matter.  You matter.  If you have the courage to mix it up,  you might be encouraged  by the man or woman you become. 

With Love. Always,
Crystal