For Wilshire Baptist Church
Stopping for lunch on Friday at the Koffee Kup in Hico, TX, we were seated next to five members of the Iron Legacy Motorcycle Club from Lewisville. They were dressed the way you would expect: leather jackets and vests embroidered with the name and logo of their club, jeans and heavy boots, tattoos and chains, beards and bandanas. And yet there was something different about them.
As we waited for our food, I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation of the two bikers sitting closest to us. They weren’t talking about their travels or exploits; they weren’t bragging about their “iron horses” parked outside. They were sharing lessons learned about monitoring their blood sugar and A1C and all that goes into staying on top of diabetes, especially while out on the road.
As I listened to these tough-looking road warriors talking about health care like office workers on a lunch break, I thought about “Join or Die,” a documentary film we saw the previous night at Dallas’ First Presbyterian Church. The film details the groundbreaking research of Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam that led to publication in 2000 of his book: “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community.” In the book and film, Putnam lays out his premise that the decline in our physical and civic health since the late 1960s is linked to the decline in our membership in clubs and organizations — from bowling leagues and fraternal lodges to churches and synagogues. Putnam said this loss of “social capital” has negatively impacted how we interact with each other and participate in the public square.
It was an intriguing presentation, followed by a discussion in which participants and moderators, including Wilshire Pastor Timothy Peoples, talked about their own experiences in social and community groups and what is needed for people to return to those groups, including churches.
Our stop in Hico the next day came as we were driving to a wedding in the Texas Hill Country, where the benefits of community and social capital were on full display. The daughter of my college roommate was getting married at Camp Waldemar, a historic girls’ camp on the Guadalupe River. I wasn’t familiar with the camp, but for almost 100 years it’s been a beloved destination for young girls who return summer after summer to make lifelong memories and friends. Some even go back to the camp as adults to get married, as did the bride. She played soccer in college and the wedding guests included scores of her teammates and their friends and spouses. And then there were family members and old friends of the parents such as us.
During a welcome party the night before the wedding, I reconnected with friends of my roommate who I first met on a weekend trip from college and later during his own wedding. It had been 40 years since I’d seen them, but somehow we were able to pick up where we’d left off with old stories and new details about the years that had separated us.
After the wedding at a dinner and reception under the stars, we found ourselves seated next to two couples of similar age. We’d never met them before, but we all were longtime friends of the father of the bride and that led to more stories and connections. We learned we all were members of strong faith communities, which led to sharing experiences and perspectives stretching from North Texas and the Hill Country to West Texas, and spanning the Baptist, Anglican and Catholic traditions.
Driving home on Sunday, we stopped for another noon meal, this time at the Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls. As we stood in line to be seated and later as we ate, I noticed the families and friends gathered around the tables to break bread. They were drawn together by their friendship and fellowship, of course, but also a good home-style meal topped off with a slice of the cafe’s famous pie. LeAnn and I shared a slice of coconut merengue pie, and I texted a photo of the refrigerated pie case to two friends at opposite ends of the state who I bet would know exactly where we were without me telling them. Both did, and one texted back a photo of his own souvenir coffee mug from Bluebonnet Cafe.
Back home, I thought about all the different groups of people we had encountered, including the motorcycle club in Hico. Curious about who they were, I found they had a Facebook page and web site. I learned they are part of a national Iron Legacy Motorcycle Club that supports charitable activities: food banks, school supply drives, Christmas toys for kids and veterans, to name a few. And, I learned the patch I had seen on their backs with “HILTH” in block letters stands for honesty, integrity, loyalty, trust and honor.
There are so many ways we can be with people that grows social capital and improves our lives. Adding to Robert Putnam’s list, I might include joining motorcycle clubs, attending summer camps, playing on soccer teams, getting involved in a church, hanging out with friends of friends, and even just getting in line with strangers at a crowded cafe to enjoy a slice of pie.