Held, Not Squeezed

So...I recently found myself conversing with my five year old about jeans.

It all started when my favorite pair of jeans sprang a leak.  In an effort to explain why I was so upset about it, I told her, “Good jeans are supportive and sturdy. They never pinch. They don’t hurt your stomach when you sit down. And they get softer and softer, the more you wear and wash them.”

“I wuv my jeans,” she said, from the back seat of the car, “they have sparkles at the top (referring to the glittery elastic waste band of her own favorite jeans)!” 

“Yes,” I continued. “Favorite jeans are cozy and warm, but don’t make you sweat. They are always there for you. They can be worn with tennis shoes or dressy boots; they are great for traveling or lounging on the couch. And they’re very hard to replace!”

As we continued our banter about jeans, I found my mind wandering to religious community, and how—for me, right now—the religious community I yearn for is very much like a good pair of jeans:

• Supportive and solid, but not pushy.
• Sparkly, but just as at ease on the couch as on the stage or pew.
• Gentler, softer, the longer you journey through life together.
• Sturdy enough to handle many washes.
• Always there for you.
• Warm and inviting, not constricting.
• Practically irreplaceable.

“Good jeans,” I said to my daughter as I tried to sum it all up, “make you feel held, not squeezed.” And in my head, I said to myself: “and so do good religious communities.” 

Photo credit: Mike Morgan Photography