Communities Are Built On Stories And Invitations

Invitation
by Shel Silverstein

If you are a dreamer, come in
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer…
If you’re a pretender, come sit by the fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!

Communities are built on stories and invitations. Without stories, a community cannot know who or what it is. Without a circle that can expand through invitation, a community can never grow the stories it tells. With his characteristic flair, Silverstein invites readers into the weaving of the stories that sustain and grow communities.

For reflection: What is the story that your community tells about itself? What one practice of invitation helps your community to keep telling new stories?