medicine is community iii

this past weekend i met this lady on a hill on a home in the berkshires. she worked 6 days a week and on the 7th, she met with her fellowship.

the fellowship is my home, she said, making zuchinni waffles for the crew, watching me through her feather pink specs, eat salad for breakfast.

it's been my spiritual home, she said. for 25 years. 

what's a fellowship? i asked, looking up from my journal, my third of the summer, cluttered with words that bled all over from my leaking head, slicing itself to get rid of language and memory.

a fellowship is a church away from a church, it's us gathering every sunday at someone's home for dinner and hanging out for a couple hours or all night. sometimes all night. the lady looked between me and up, toward the ceiling that was so high, another two stories could've been slapped on.

so, what  do you guys do?

we really just hang out, but our focus is on God, on how to embrace the Holy Spirit in each of us.

all praise is due, i said, looking at her deep blue eyes, and back out, at the yard that didn't end, that became forest on all sides, covered with coyote, black bears, foxes, and deer.

yes, she agreed. all praise is due.

how long has it been around? 

we started it 25 years back. it was a shoot off of a church situation that we weren't really comfortable in. the reverend was too into hell and it just didn't feel right. people went to church, and sat on the pews, and said hi and were friendly enough, but that was it really. there was no real sense of community in worship, like it was washing your hands after using the bathroom, you know? something people did, just because...

i get it, i said. i did. most masjids felt thisway. a steady disconnection has been close to constant over the years, except with a few folks, except with the few kindred spirits who it is love to break fast with, bow down and share hopes with.

a fellowship, i thought. yeah. that might be a good start, as we work on building this intentional community. getting together in rememberance of the Essence, through food, convo, Quiet work...all praise is due