Roots…

Someone asked me recently if I missed being a college coach. My answer was a quick and honest response – not even a little bit. There are many reasons why, but this last holiday weekend reminded me of another.

Over the long 4th of July weekend, my wife and I were fortunate to spend some time with several different groups of friends that we’ve come to know and love here in St. Louis. It hit me while doing some reading and writing this morning that for the first time in my adult life I feel deeply rooted in a specific place and community (a la Wendell Berry). I’m rooted primarily through the people we’ve created community with and in whom we’ve actively invested our time and energy.

The Latin phrase for the concept of “being alive” is inter hominem esse, which means “to be among men.” We’ve known all throughout history that we are meant to be connected and in community rather than transitory and do-doing all the time. The former is life-giving, the latter life-draining. I’m learning to slow down, be with, invest my time in the things that give me life, energize me, fill me up.

Where are you investing your time? Are the returns what you want? Mine weren’t, so I made some changes. I’m loving the returns. How about you? Write.