When I was a child in elementary school, Valentine’s Day was a really, big deal! Days before we would decorate a box or bag and place it on our desk. When the big day came, all of my classmates and I would walk around, dropping a Valentine into the boxes. In some classes, the teachers would send student lists home to the parents, subtly suggesting that all students should receive a Valentine from everyone. In other classes, it was up to each student to decide who would receive a Valentine.
Either way, the “cool kids” received the “cool Valentines” and everyone knew it. It was one of my first experiences of really seeing how people are treated based on their looks, their intelligence, their clothes and their interests. I realized that the classroom was not always a “safe place” for all of my fellow students.
Fast forward to 2014 and we see that one of the most popular shows on television is about geeks – kids who most likely did not receive very many Valentines each year. As I watch The Big Bang Theory I realize that adulthood doesn’t always change how people are treated – these guys are still bullied and teased. Yet, they have developed a true sense of who they are, and are better able to handle their geekiness (is that even a word?). As four scientists/engineers, they have found a “safe place” in their work and their friendship where they can be themselves and thrive.
It is important, in fact imperative, that each of us has a “safe place” where we can be ourselves. It may be at work, or on a sports team, or doing a hobby. A church should offer that same “safe place” for people to join together, grow and thrive. If you are not attending a church, there are many in the Santa Clarita Valley that will welcome you. I invite you to join us at Newhall Church of the Nazarene – where you too can find a “safe place.”
Newhall Church of the Nazarene is located at 23857 The Old Road in Newhall. For more information, please email Kathy@newnaz.org and visit www.newnaz.org.