After a recent meeting, the ladies of the Community Foundation started chatting about the shiny, happy posts we make on social media. Apple picking, mountain climbing, and shopping for Homecoming dresses… these are the stories we tell about our personal lives. This is intentional because the last thing we want to do is “air our dirty laundry” online.
But the conversation turned to that dirty laundry – literally – we are all surrounded by at home. (Caution: TMI AHEAD!) I laughed at the idea of posting a picture of the pajamas worn last night going back into my dresser or the sports bra I just peeled off being hung on a doorknob to be worn again tomorrow. It’s not that I don’t do laundry (all the time, actually!). No, these crimes against decent hygiene are due to the fact that I like the lived-in feeling of those clothes. Pajamas get softer and sports bras get easier to put on the second time around.
I also like the “lived-in feel” of our community. The broken-in chairs in decades-old diners are comfortable. My favorite mat at the YMCA greets me at the end of a hard workout like an old friend. I’m even partial to the giant swarm of bees that lives behind a certain Dunkin’ Donuts, though they can make the drive through treacherous from time to time.
We spend a lot of time promoting what is shiny and new in the FLX, especially in the world of nonprofits. And, to be honest, that’s something I love about living here. We are always open to new ideas and excited to welcome newcomers into our lovely corner of the world. But today, I am going to take a minute to appreciate the faithful organizations working hard out there, year after year, reliably supporting all of us. Whether it is opening a bag of M&Ms in the Clemens Center’s spectacular audience chamber (where I totally have a favorite seat) or watching Bernice at Tanglewood slooooowly living her best tortoise life, I am grateful for the memories I have in these spaces.
Hidden behind the glossy photos of gorgeous lakes and internationally-renowned art is a community that is real. Lived-in. Well-loved. Just like the people who call this place home.