Village People

During her time as First Lady, Hilary Clinton wrote a book entitled, It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us, in which she examines the impact of folks outside of the family and their impact on children. Now I haven't read this book, but the title alone warrants discussion. Let's consider the reality of our communities and what is essentially the community's message.

I've shared in the past that I come from a relatively affluent (incredibly affluent if you consider global societies) upbringing. I grew up in a "nice" town in Connecticut. Went to college at a "nice" university in Florida. And now reside in a "nice" area of the north Atlanta suburbs. Okay, when I say "nice", what I mean is: predominantly white; fairly wealthy; kids with nice cars; kids with Mom and Dad's checkbook; kids wanting for little; parents that hugely consider the Jones and how they can keep up with them; etc. Got the picture?

Indulge me in taking a quick, and perhaps opinionated, glance at my current Village.

I was riding from lunch with a friend and we passed some construction going on on a local road. A thin, tanned, sweaty, hard hatted young man was walking nearby our car. My friend commented, "There's a hard working young man". A moment later we passed by a "nice" neighborhood where there was a banner displayed across the subdivision entry sign which shared the names of all those in the neighborhood who were graduating Seniors from high school and the logos of which colleges they were attending (most of which were "nice" schools). The conversation then moved to a discussion of how much a community can essentially brand what the expectations are for kids. Sort of a "hey, Johnny, you know you need to go to a nice school or you may end up digging ditches"—As though there is anything ignoble about digging a ditch.

Clearly achievement, goal-setting, and success are fine. But if we really look at our own Village, could we use words like: Inviting, excepting, uplifting, considering, honoring, caring, communicating, supporting. You get my drift....

Okay, so this may be another one of my blog/rambles, but I guess I just want myself and anyone else to think about these things. Do we take our daily Village opportunity to consider:

• What message do we share with our kids?
• What message do we transmit to our neighbors, our colleagues?
• Am I practicing what I preach? (I often fall short)
  
• Is my preach appropriate?
  

Or maybe I'm just a new-school hippie who has smoked too much in the past....

* NOTE:

1. Certainly my quick "glance" does not encompass everyone. There are many wonderful people (and perhaps you are one) in all of the "nice" places I've lived. And hopefully those who've read my blog, or know me personally, would say I am not too jaded, but actually have a decent outlook on life, its challenges and prejudices, a solid faith foundation, and an overall grasp of right and wrong (I could be wrong). But I am speaking from and about a generalized perspective.
2. The words above do not exclude the church from the Village. Clearly there are many churches and faith institutions which place too much emphasis in wrong places and are an active participant in making a place too "nice".