He taught us about ogres and onions. We learned how to charm a pink fiery dragon. He even taught us how a large, smelly ogre can romance a beautiful princess. But community? Shrek can teach us about community? I would like to suggest yes.
Less than one month ago, I moved to Gainesville, Georgia to join the Community Life program. So I’m now asking myself, “What exactly does community mean to me?”
There are, of course, the easy answers that I could give. Community is about sharing my toothpaste. Community is about doing dishes without complaining. Community is about cooperating with eating schedules, work schedules, shower schedules and sleeping schedules. But is it more? I hope so. I hunger for real connection with people. I don’t want to just dance a waltz with people, cautious to not make a wrong step or interrupt some rhythm. I want my life to collide with others. I long to let someone see my wounds, my fears, my doubts, my less-than-desirable traits. And this gets messy. So, I guess to me, community is messy. And it’s beautiful all at the same time.
You know, Shrek didn’t get it right, this community thing. He pushed people away, insulted them, tried to ditch them, ignore them and hurt them. He so deeply wanted to be left alone that he would do anything to avoid letting others into his world (perhaps a function of his “onion-like” quality). But here is where it gets good any messy. First, he meets a donkey who pries into his business, but mostly because he really wants to know Shrek. Then, Shrek meets this princess. He finds himself anxious to let her into his world, even when it hurts. She, likewise, is cautious to let anyone too close. She wears her mask, not letting anyone know that she, too, is an ogre as the result of a wicked spell. It takes her a while to let down her guard and let Shrek in, for fear that he will see the real her, the wounds and fears and doubts and struggles. So we get to see a whole story of Shrek being challenged to exist in community with Donkey and the Princess. It gets messy. And it is beautiful.
I’m choosing to live in community. And I know that if I really choose to engage my heart, it will get messy. So, to me, community is more than just existing together and being the best me I can be for others to see. To me, community is about choosing to expose who I am, letting people in and asking them to love me. And I am convinced it will be beautiful.
