A Sense of Community

Greg read this blog from Peter's brother who lives in Michigan and wants to share it with all of you:

A Sense of Community

My lucky brother is retired. Not only is he retired, he is busy, and happily so. He and his wife ride bikes and travel, much of it your usual retirement fare. But they also have started to play bluegrass music. Both my brother and his wife decided a few years back to take up an instrument in retirement. He labors away on the guitar and she on a violin. Luckier still, they live in a suburb of Portland, Oregon, a city populated by people who know how to live and choose to be part of the game rather than simply populate the sidelines.

An example of that spirit manifests itself in Taborgrass, a local effort to bring aspiring bluegrass musicians together to learn, well, how to be bluegrass musicians.

Recently my brother sent along a link which included a video of their spring concert. I dialed in the other morning and watched the whole 60-plus minute production. I'm not the world's biggest bluegrass fan although I do enjoy it in small doses. But this was great. More than just the music, I was struck by the beautiful portrayal of community illustrated by this group, standing and sitting together, plugging away at producing a beautiful and common sound. As I watched the concert I couldn't help but think this is what it is to be a successful community. Although a racially homogeneous group, there certainly does appear to be a good variety of age, gender, and personality types. Everyone is in their version of a white shirt but, even in that, there is variety. But the end product is a beautiful sound, a sound which every member of this diverse group is applying their skill to accomplish.

Wouldn't it be great if we all lived our lives in the same fashion as the members of this orchestra, working with every effort made to ensure the success of all? Truly a community. Check it out.