City Friends

I think if my life had a soundtrack, the best times of my life would be set to John Mayer's Room for Squares or classic James Taylor. When I say the best times of life--I don't necessarily mean those trial-by-fire or challenging best times of life. I mean more the generic "best times" of life where I am genuinely content and satisfied.

When I feel really "right" with the world and content I get a certain look or smile on my face. I didn't really know this until one of my students said I always look at him and smile and nod. I do this when I'm just simply happy---no other thoughts in my mind, content. (sometimes this is out of awkwardness.....what do I say now? I might as well smile.....).

Tonight I had one of these moments. I went into inner-city Dallas to visit some friends from church. They are an older couple that moved into the neighborhood almost a year ago onto a street of newly developed condos. People have come to these condos from all stages of life--there are young couples, some people who live alone, no children. Really an eclectic group.

We had a wonderful evening--I really enjoy visiting people who are learning/living in neighborhoods like theirs. I think it starts to remind me of my time researching. There's something I really enjoy about learning about the sociological issues of an area, seeing the historical factors that created a neighborhood and all the up and coming things. In this area of Dallas we saw the new homeless resource center, some great new arts attractions, a jazz restaurant, and a great apartment complex/artistic urban lofts center.
We met so many people! An artist who lives in his studio inside the old Sears building (http://southsideonlamar.com/) with his dog, a bunch of musicians who moved into a complex together, the owner of a restaurant.
I love walking around with friendly people who have a strong desire to engage, be friendly, and become a part of a community. It really helps inspire me to continue to do similar things in my neighborhood, meet new people, go to random attractions, plays, ask questions when new things are coming in. Maybe it's nosy--but also, why else are we there if we don't care about what's going on around us?

But back to the feeling of contentment. So after a wonderful night out on the town, seeing this great neighborhood and meeting so many interesting people who have moved there, we retired back to their own condo apartment strip, 13 small homes with a great view of downtown Dallas. Sure there are drug dealers and prostitutes on their corner all night long--but it was evident that this group of neighbors were not judgmental or scared people. They loved living in this area---and had come to love one another, as unusual a group they could be!

For those of you who know me from college--I sat back and thought, wow this is like a grown up version of TTT (my friends in school had a weekly party we'd call Totally Tubular Thursday, a no-pressure, small crowd event were the 15-20 of us who had lived in the same freshman dorm committed to be together every Thursday evening). I always loved TTT time because I could have these moments to sit back, not even have to make conversation and just enjoy myself, secure I am known and loved.

I think that's what community is supposed to be about a lot. Joy in being with others, no matter how dramatically different we are from each other--knowing that we in some sense "belong" to one another, we'd give up time to meet a need or listen to an issue. Socialization is effortless and forgiving. It's where you go to have easy conversation and don't have to worry about what you say or even if you have enough to say.


I think it was a profound experience for me to see a marriage of two things I have yet to see some together in my life--my passion and intrigue for urban areas and dilapidated urban centers with friendship and relaxed good times. In my life in Washington, most of my friends live in the Virginia suburbs where I always have to take a lot of time and effort to get to them and spend time together. How grateful I've been this year for my friend who lives even in my same quadrant of the city. Pray for friends who live nearby--and who have a desire to spend some good, carefree time together!!! I felt very happy for my friends that they had found this--fun and camaraderie in the midst of such an exciting and interesting location.