Meet Meghan!
How did you first hear about L’Arche? What made you want to join community?
I heard about L’Arche around 2017 from a friend in my college choir. Her brother and sister-in-law met about ten years ago in the Greater Washington, DC L’Arche, where they still share life. She told me story after story about their community and their fun and full lives. I remember thinking it sounded like an amazing and delightful way to be with others, but I didn’t imagine it as a possibility for my own life until a handful of years later. I moved to Chicago in September of 2019 and was selling overpriced clothes: one of the few things that was good to leave in the before-quarantine times. I decided that, whenever I felt safe around others, I wanted to find new work that was helpful to people. I chatted with that same friend about what I was hoping and she said, “You know there’s a L’Arche in Chicago, right?” I did not!! I had dinner at all the homes, chewed on the idea for a bit, etc. etc., and here we are today!!
What has been a highlight from your time with L’Arche?
Oh man, it feels like there are so many good and memorable moments every day. From the little things, like pretending to put lotion on Young Ted’s back instead of Davey’s, sharing a delicious (and weirdly often way, way too spicy) dinner, to the big stuff, like going to weddings with and of community members, sharing holidays and going on trips… If I have to name one highlight, I had an absolutely stupendous time seeing the museums in Sheboygan with a good chunk of our community and some folks from a L’Arche project in Wisconsin. Radical art with some radical folks.
What is something that you’ve learned about friendship since coming to L’Arche?
A lot, I hope!! Maybe the strength and beauty in saying sorry. I don’t remember exactly what had us all huffy, but a core member and I bumped heads a bit one evening. We went to bed and saw each other the next morning. I kind of thought he would want to move on, and I was feeling stiff and nervous to talk about it. But he was brave, brought it up, and gave me a sincere apology. It made me feel like he was invested in our relationship. I started to see apologies as acts that could be courageous and loving rather than shameful. I admire that, and I’m still working on being more like that, haha.
What is something that we might not know about you?
It’s also hard to think of something about me that people may not know, I feel like y’all know me too well!! Maybe that I love video games; I of course like to play, and I also have a dream of making one of my own someday. My favorites are Disco Elysium, Hades, Legend of Zelda, Stardew Valley, I’ve been playing lots of Baldur’s Gate these days… And I’m not too bad— I got second place in a Smash Bros: Melee tournament in high school!! (That was before Smash 4 was out though, I’m way rusty now.)
What has been bringing you joy lately?
Gosh, L’Arche wise, we’ve been turning errands into adventures; our recent trip to Brown Elephant comes to mind. We began with dropping off boxes of donations and ended with wearing funky glasses and passing around a gaudy wedding veil.
Beyond L’Arche, more episodes of my favorite podcast, The Magnus Archives, have been coming out!! The series came to its first conclusion in 2021; there were 200 episodes and I’ve listened to them all multiple times. (I find the show soothing… I often use it to fall asleep, despite it being a horror podcast.) 11 new ones have come out this year and I’m eating them right up!!