I have a confession that I think we can all make: There have been times that I have taken community for granted. I have thought of it as simply something that’s “there”, that somebody else takes care of.

But that’s wrong. Community is a living thing that we all have a place in. There are the people who run community events. There are the people who throw the parties. There are the people working the charity drives. There are the people who keep our churches running.

That word keeps hitting again and again. People. People. People. And you know what? We’re all people. We can, and should, be one of them.

The people doing all these things for the community aren’t immortal. They won’t be around forever. New community members need to grow into these roles to keep community alive.

One great thing about community is that there’s no shortage of ways to contribute. And even if you can’t find an existing one, there’s always an open invitation to start your own. For example, you could:

• Start a club.
• Organize a cleanup.
• Do a block party.
• Start a band and play some local gigs.
• Teach a class at your library, community college, or wherever you please.
• Lobby your city council for improvements.
• Build a child-care circle.

A good community benefits all of us. A life in a thriving community is a healthier and happier one.