I wonder whose faces come to your mind when you read this. I love thinking about the faces of my tribe.
I know the faces of my tribe because they have been light in my darkness, hope on my hard days and people who speak the truth and remind me of what is true in kind and loving ways. And they have been more than that. We have shared good food and wine, heartfelt conversations, summer nights and winter blizzards. My Tribe has been with me in the day to day and on the mountain tops and in the valleys!
My Tribe has a core of my family, and yet others have joined my tribe over the years. My tribe has also lost people. However, their faces still come to mind. For me, my tribe reminds me that God created community to give us a taste of heaven. I do not believe a tribe has to be huge, but a tribe does demonstrate a commitment to each other.
There were some years in my life when I did not embrace my tribe. I look back on those years and recognize that I was sorting some things out and instead of relying on the relationships of my people, I began to isolate. Let me tell anyone who is feeling isolated, it is never too late to return and renter. I am so grateful for my journey back and for the beautiful opportunities, I have had to love my tribe hard.
Loving my tribe hard, for me, is about showing up. Showing up in person, in words, in a text, or in sharing a remember when photo even. For me, love is about presence. For you, it may look very different. The beautiful thing about a tribe is that every person brings something unique and what you bring can only be brought by you!
I wonder how strong your tribal ties are today and what you can do to bring strength and goodness to your tribe. Love your tribe hard and let them love you back!
Let me share some of the faces of my tribe with you! It is not my complete tribe, but it is many who I hold very close to my heart!
I count it a privilege to be counted among your tribe !