Community

I went to an interfaith conference at my Church yesterday, and it was a really interesting experience and I am really glad that I went.  The Stake President of the Edinburgh area spoke, as well as leaders from the Episcopal Church, the Jewish community, the Baha'i and a leader of a Muslim woman's group.  It was interesting as they talked about families and how important families are to all of these communities.  
Another topic that arose was concerning community in general, and how the idea of community is dying.  It was an interesting topic to consider, and as I thought about it I think it is true.  One of the examples used was of stores, as small local shops are replaced by large stores.  But as was pointed out, these are symptoms of a deeper malaise, the real problem is that we are replacing community and family with a focus on things that don't matter.  Rather than building friendships and helping those in need we find ourselves spending all of our lives trying to make money, or to get the next cool gadget, etc.  And these things aren't bad, we need money to live, and I am glad that I can email rather than always write letters, but the problem comes when these become the focus of our lives instead of tools that enrich our lives.  As was pointed out the really important things, the things that will last beyond this life, are our families and friends, the things that we have learned, the experiences and the memories that we have.  Honestly, has anyone on their death bed ever said, "oh shoot, I never did get that new I-phone?"  
Anyways, this rambling does have a point, I hope.  Essentially, we need to spend our lives on the things that really matter, on learning and serving, on loving and growing.  And as we do these things everything else will come with it, we will have good jobs, and we will have means to survive.  And we will be happier, and we will have family and friends (i.e. a community) to share it with, and that is what really matters in the end, is it not?