Good morning, digital neighbors! Happy Thursday, Friends & Refugees, Early Birds & Late Dayers, Seekers, Lurkers, and Conversants on the Report. Hello again, ADD Irregulars, Coffee Talkers, and WSN Curators—and finally, all of you Politically Homeless, Misfits, and PHAM basking in the light of Bridget. A few more thoughts on community: local is best. The bigger the community, the more fraught it is with division and disruption. A few quotes and some pithy commentary from your local neighborhood friar.

“A community is only being created when its members accept that they are not going to achieve great things, that they are not going to be heroes, but simply live each day with new hope, like children, in wonderment as the sun rises and in thanksgiving as it sets. Community is only being created when they have recognized that the greatness of man is to accept his insignificance, his human condition and his earth, and to thank God for having put in a finite body the seeds of eternity which are visible in small and daily gestures of love and forgiveness. The beauty of man is in this fidelity to the wonder of each day.” ― Jean Vanier

I mostly agree with this quote, but there are heroes, and without them—the men and women of principle, sacrifice, and courage—our movement toward real peace and prosperity is impaired. On the good side, humility is the mother of all virtues, and without it, overcoming our blindness induced by pride is rarely cured.  

 “The way you get meaning in your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” — Mitch Albom

AMEN, Mitch!! Find something that brings meaning, growth, and purpose in life. Something long-term—not a pill, not a push-button, not a click and an immediate response. Love learning, discovery, and curiosity. The longer the term, the more fruit it will yield. Modernity and its beloved conveniences and comforts are more of a cocoon than a haven. If we can make convenience and comfort a haven to visit and not a place to dwell, perhaps life with meaning will return.

“Every society, all government, and every kind of civil compact therefore, is or ought to be, calculated for the general good and safety of the community.” — George Mason

It would be a welcome change if our government thought that the safety of its citizens was one of its primary concerns. In 2020, the curtain was pulled back on how many mayors and governors were willing to act with swift punishment against anyone failing to mask in public, inviting too many friends over, or not complying. Surprisingly enough, you don’t find them acting with the same response to actual criminals in many of our larger cities. Repeat offenders often walk free and continue to repeat. It is a terrible situation. I hope for reform, but I don’t expect it. I do my best to tend my acre of reality, and the people that life has sent my way. Have a good Thursday, neighbors.

Autumn trees - Billy-Freeman - Unsplash