Community

It was a year ago yesterday that I began this blog, making me one day late in commemorating it! My first post was written in honor of one of my best friends Alyssa who died of a brain tumor 5 years ago on July 4th, her own sort of independence day. We had our annual Lap for Lyssa where dear family, friends, and fellow neighbors gather in the Alyssa Anne Smelley Memorial Park, pick a balloon, write a message on it for Alyssa, walk a lap around the neighborhood, and upon completion of that lap send up their message balloon up to the heavens just for her. Each July 4th is filled with its own bout of emotions, bitterness, confusion, and just plain missing her; but at the same time it's a beautiful reminder of the sanctity and fragility of this earthly life we live. Alyssa's life and her memory motivate me to appreciate the beauty of the present and the gift of the incredible community I am surrounded by. After these last few days remembering Alyssa especially and looking through some of my posts from the last year I am left especially struck by the importance of the people who I hold dear, those from school, those from my neighborhood, church, team, and family, and as I think about these beautiful souls a wave of gratitude washes over me, because I have been blessed by a beautiful community. Being home in Santa Barbara for summer was not something initially planned or appreciated, but lately I have loved just settling in to the community of my home, of those who have known me long before my college years and those little ones that I find myself constantly surrounded by. So all that to say I am learning to affirm those around me, love the present moments I share with them, and appreciate the community I call my own.