How to Fit-in In Community...Awkwardly
I’ve lived in four communities of
sisters during my discernment with the Sinsinawa Dominicans: my local community
at the Mound, as a Candidate in Atlanta, as a Novice in St. Louis, and now as a
second year Novice in Denver. As I begin this third year in community,
I’m reminded how creating community is a somewhat awkward process—especially at
first.
Learning about each sister—her
personality, how she adds to the “mix” of the community and how I can best
relate to her—is often a trial-and-error process requiring patience and
intention. Developing new relationships is a time of great excitement,
requiring both openness and vigilance.
Today it strikes me how integral
community-building is to being human, not just a woman religious. Right
now I’m visiting my cousin in California during the birth of her second
child—yesterday she and her husband had a beautiful, healthy baby boy. I
spent the day with their 3-year-old daughter, Gabriela, while they were at the
hospital. After several hours of anticipation, the two of us finally got
to visit them this afternoon and meet the baby. It struck me how learning
to live in community is integral to being human, not just in religious
life. I watched as Gabriela furtively asked questions about her brother,
observed him closely, sought attention from Mom and Dad, and seemed both
excited and anxious about her new role as the “big sister”.
I feel for her as she struggles to
adjust to a drastically changed community…but I’m happy for her because I know
it will be worth it.
Quincy Howard
Denver, CO
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