True Pain, True Joy, True Community

I was going to write this entry on guilt, but there are more pressing things to write on. Anyways, I heard someone once call IV a community, the community of isla vista. Let's get one thing straight, IV is not a community. It is a group of houses, housing residents who are tied together geographically and by the fact that they are all students, little else binds them. There is no family atmosphere or attitude, even among some housemates. Community is different. Noticing someone in class that you had shots with two saturdays ago does not designate a community. That's what makes Isla Vista so strange, it has such great potential to be a mighty community, yet it does not live up to that potential. Yeah sure, glimpses are seen here and there. My roommate going out and getting dinner from me when I could hardly walk was very communityesque. I guess that is why they do not call ucsb a community college, it really is not located by a community, just by a place where people happen to live.
On the other hand, I saw true community this week. It peeked its head and lingered for just a bit, but got me excited nonetheless. After playing basketball yesterday I twisted my ankle bad. I was with some of the guys that I really love, and they made sure that I was well taken care of. We went to blender's afterwards and I paid for people, and one guy gave me support money. All this helping each other out and leaning on each other really opened my eyes to the community that we have become. It's pretty crazy, but I took a glimpse of real, true community this week, and it is not often that I can say that. It was this reality of brothers selflessly helping each other that spoke to me of community, true community.
I experienced two other true things this past week: true pain, and true joy. Like I said, I twisted my ankle bad yesterday and it swelled up so much that it looked comical. So much so that I could not look at it without laughing. I was in immense pain, yet had so much joy at the same time. I can only attribute Jesus for that. His residing in me just provides me with so much joy. It was the strangest thing ever, experiencing both true, genuine pain and yet true, genuine joy at the same time. That's what isla visa chocolate is all about.
Restaurant of the week: It's a two-fer this week bringing you both Lily's tacos on state street and woody's bbq.
IV peep of the week: I saw an Asian guy on the bluffs above the beach playing a harmonica, all by himself. A humorous sight no doubt.
Treats of the week: Chocolate peanut-butter cream cheese bars, cheesecake chocolate chip cookie bars, strawberry milk chippers, and oreo cheesecake cookies. Mmmmm.
Good Luck and Good Eats
~Cody