The Joy of Community Connection
If you’ve ever been to a sporting event, whether it was a football, baseball, soccer, or basketball game (or any other kind of game), you probably felt an electricity—a collective energy and excitement—in the air as everyone cheered for your team.
Having grown up in Texas, I know that football is a religion there. When I attended The University of Texas–Austin, I was indoctrinated into the Longhorns family. We had burnt orange coursing through our veins as we cheered on our teams. I still remember those joyful moments of high-fiving my friends and even strangers who were wearing our colors.
Last night, my dear friends Ellen and Steven Rogin took me to a Chicago Cubs game. Ever since the Cubs won the World Series a few years ago, fans all around the city and country have been energized. The minute we got there, I could feel the energy, the excitement, the connection, and the joy. There’s something special about bringing people together to believe in something and feel a sense of belonging.
In today’s world, it’s so easy to feel alone, isolated, and divided. Those feelings sap the joy from our lives. But when we come together to support our team, we feel a sense of connection again.
During my journey, I’ve discovered that this connection—this community experience —activates joy in our lives. These moments remind us that we’re not alone and we’re not all that different.
I can’t thank Ellen and Steven enough for their kindness and generosity in sharing this joyful experience of connection with me. What a gift to join thousands of people rallying together to support their home team. And that foot-long ballpark Chicago-style hot dog was pure joy, too!
