In the Company of Community

There is a reason I rise early every morning. It is not just because my inner clock goes off. I do not bounce out of bed thinking “Hot diggity, it’s 4am, let the party begin!” No, I’m rather slow to awaken. I enjoy the sounds of the early time, I like to hear the train rumble across the tracks, hear the first birds taking to the tree limbs. Honestly, I could stay in bed for quite a bit longer and be completely happy, but I don’t because life has given me a very valuable gift—the gift of a caring community.

The community that I think of now is the one that shares in my getting up early. They, like me, push off the covers, grab the workout bag and head to this special place—a big global corporation that began well over a hundred years ago, but we don’t think of it that way. We simply think of it for what it is: our Y.

This place with its typical weight room, track, basketball courts, fitness studios, and pool may look from the outside like any typical YMCA, but crack the doors, open your eyes, and you will see that inside this city building is a magnificent community. The diversity of the members is not just about ethnicity; it is diverse in talents, accomplishments, and goals. Yet, its commonality is in its caring members.

You may think I’m singing the praises of a place that you say is no different than a place that you go to—whether that’s a gym, a church, or book club. And, perhaps it is no different than that. In so many ways I hope it is not because I would want everyone to enjoy the community that I have. This community is truly the reason I am up in the morning. I know there will be at least one person—and maybe as many as a dozen people wondering where I am. And, in turn, I will be wondering about them. It’s what happens when you step out and reach out to others. You become a part of a community. If you’re as lucky as I am, then you have a reason to get out of bed!