THE ART OF COMMUNITY
for over twenty-five years. One of the pieces of advice he had given to me was to join the Rotary Club, where relationships would take on an entirely new level and provide insight into the community.
I attended several lunches and spent time getting to know Jim Gray, as well as inviting many others to coffee or lunch to get to know them. Within four months, I was inducted into the Rotary Club of Roseville, which immediately expanded my community, not only here in Roseville, but to the hundreds of people I have met since being invited to join.
In two years of being a part of Rotary, I have served on many committees, volunteered at many events and community service projects, and was asked to be the Public Image Chairperson for the local club.
I will never forget the advice of a man named Jim (a former ambassador for the Roseville Chamber of Commerce, who has since passed from this life). His advice was this, “Dan, the best advice I can give you is to be present. Be in the mix. No one can see who you are and what you do if you are not physically present at functions, meetings, or events.” Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, being “present” where people can see you exist and know your name is critical to opportunity through relationship.
Since coming here to Roseville in 2014, the number of connections we have made and the expansion of our community has been exponential.
So many believe that if they can set up a business, church, ministry, or event, people will just show up at the door wanting what you have to offer. It took almost two years of planting the seeds of relationship in this network to see any visible fruit. I can remember times where I was so frustrated with what seemed like stalled forward movement that I asked God if He even remembered He had created me.
I so desperately wanted to make a difference and be an influence in the lives of others. My impatience with the planting, watering, and nurturing process got to me at times. Whenever that happened, I would go into a pity-party mode. Then I would snap out of the funk I was in and begin to plant more seeds of relationship.
A farmer will continually plant seeds throughout the year in different areas of the land. This is because he wants to keep a harvest of his crop moving in various areas throughout the coming months. Just because he may plant a field of broccoli, doesn’t mean that broccoli will sustain them for the rest of their lives.
In our relationships, we can be satisfied with an “us-four-and-no-more” mentality. This is where we don’t expand our community beyond those who