We have a guest editorial today as Steve is on vacation.

Recently, I participated in a survey by Brent Ozar on attending in-person conferences, which led me to reflect on the concept of community and its current meaning. Over the past 21 years, my attendance at the PASS Summit has proven immensely valuable. It expanded my network, exposed me to exceptional teachers, and provided opportunities to visit fascinating places. As a user group leader, I have always encouraged others to seek similar benefits and advance their careers. However, the events of 2020 have brought about significant changes, prompting me to question the necessity of attending conferences and to ponder the evolving nature of community.

The term "community" encompasses various definitions. Personally, I find the perspective of psychiatrist M. Scott Peck appealing. He says “Community [is] a group of individuals who have learned how to communicate honestly with each other, whose relationships go deeper than their masks of composure, and who have developed some significant commitment to "rejoice together, mourn together," and to "delight in each other, make others' conditions our own.”

Communities, by their nature, are not stagnant entities; they evolve over time. Within the SQL Server community, the sense of joy in supporting one another and empathizing with each other's situations played a crucial role. We assisted like-minded individuals in finding employment opportunities, connecting with inspiring role models, and supported each other on striving to reach our goals. In the past, this was easier as we primarily worked on SQL Server and frequently met in person at events. However, I have noticed that many of my acquaintances have since ventured beyond those boundaries. Although we remain friends, networking has become increasingly challenging. Companies do not support conferences like they used to. Many people still have health challenges with travel. Finding the right event to go to, given the range of technologies we deal with now can be hard.

Personally, as someone who has some of these challenges – I have found ways to adapt. I attend virtual events whenever I can. I do virtual hangouts with a number of friends, old and new. It no longer feels odd, it has become a habit. PASS Summit has options to volunteer online, and am finding that a rewarding experience – I have made new friends in that process too.

While it is universally acknowledged that in-person human interaction has no substitute, there are alternative avenues that can help bridge the gap. We can still cultivate friendships, share moments of joy and sorrow, but it requires a greater level of dedication. Despite the obstacles, we can compensate for the absence of face-to-face interactions by leveraging the available resources. The key lies in our willingness to make the extra effort.

The shifting sands of community demand our resilience and adaptability. As we navigate this new landscape, we must embrace the opportunities that arise, explore innovative ways to connect, and continue to nurture the bonds that make a community thrive.