Community

The passions in my life have a common thread, but I doubt you will see it right away. Theatre, LGBT Civil Rights, Notre Dame, Olympics and running. Now, you may think you see the common denominator in a few of them, but all of them? It's there, and it is one reason why I am passionate about all of the listed items. 

I'm talking about community. I have always been a person who has sought and loved a feeling of community. The good news for me is I have found it in each of the areas I listed at the start. The theatrical community was my love. While the allure of being someone else, or transporting an audience to another place and time is an initial lure, you can't beat the sense of community within the theatre. You depend on the other actors to help you with your character. Unless it's a one person show, there is give and take, as well as support. You want the piece to succeed, and it can't if the actors are not working together. I know some of my acting friends will jump in and tell me some of the more unsavory aspects of the theatre, but in the end, there is a common goal to succeed, and everyone is part of that.

LGBT Civil Rights is a tougher one. Yes, we all want equality, but in the LGBT community, we come at if from different places, and that leads to attacks on each other. So why the love of this community? No matter the differences, when we march together....we are one. We insist on being equal.

The Notre Dame community is a bond which resonates with many in the Notre Dame Nation. Some of the older folks reflect fondly on past glories of Rockne or Leahy. I lived through the Parseghian, Divine and Holtz eras of glory. Tradition and love of our team brings thousands together. We bleed blue and gold. We ache when we are down, but there is something which pulls on our hearts in the good times.

The Olympic Community is worldwide. The athletes are a special breed who excel at the top of their sports. They bond, they rival, they come together every four years to celebrate. Former Olympians keep the traditions and game alive. They give back to the movement and carry it forward - for example Sebastian Coe, the great Olympic runner is head of London's Olympic Organizing Committee for this summer's games.

Running is a different community. Runners are bonded no matter their differences, with running. For example, former Gov. Mike Huckabee and I are not even close in politics; however we share a passion for running, and have exchanged letters to each other on our running. Runners can run with a group, or on their own. They bond over how to lower their race times, or which shoes which work best for them.

You don't even need to physically be near a runner to have a sense of community. Steve Runner with his Pheddippidations podcast has created a virtual community of runners who share ideas, hopes, dreams, etc. On the Motley Fool, I have "met" runners and shared the ups and downs of running. In some cases I have actually met the virtual friends I have.

It's an amazing thing to be a member of the running community.

Charlie