Taco Bar: How to Build Community in an Unhappy Country

I know this taco bar post is kind of lame. I am not one who should be writing about food things! But, hear me out! I’m writing about it because it can be hard to find community in our lives. The United States is only the 19th happiest nation in the world, despite all our material resources. And the research shows that community and connection are significantly linked to happiness. So I say, let’s start planning more things like a taco bar or a chili bar to get together with our friends and neighbors!

We are becoming close friends with two other families. I try to stoke the flame of our connection by inviting them over frequently. I don’t want hanging out to feel overwhelming or stressful. So I keep it as easy as possible.

On Friday, I texted my friends to see what they wanted to contribute to dinner the next day. One friend said baked feta with bread and crackers, as well as dessert. The other friend said she would bring poblano peppers stuffed with black beans. So I decided to make this instant pot beans and rice taco filling with a salad (from a cut/dump/stir kit).

We grabbed some hot, fresh tortillas from the Mexican restaurant down the street. I heated up some pre-cooked ethically-sourced, organic chicken for the non-vegetarians. Then I dumped things like already-made guacamole, pico, and sour cream into bowls. The thing that required the most effort was shredding a block of sharp cheddar cheese into a bowl.

Honestly, I find that the rougher around the edges a meal is, the more intimate it feels. The less it feels like a “dinner party,” the more it feels like friends just hanging out. I shredded the cheese while people snacked on the baked feta at the same counter I was working at. I threw together the salad kits while also playing Rummikub.

The six kids built forts in the living room. Then after dinner, they broke into two groups of three and huddled around iPads to watch a movie in their forts.

I don’t even have a photo to share because nothing was photo-worth about it! The great feeling came from inside my heart. And I can only capture that with my words.

What kinds of things have you been doing to build connection with others lately?