What does CrossFit mean to you?

What does CrossFit mean to you?
To some it means a killer workout where you may or may not puke at the end. To others it means a strength and conditioning program. And to those that have followed it from the beginning, it means constantly varied, functional movements executed at high intensity. But to me, I see past the physical aspects of CrossFits. And throughout my experience with CrossFit, the physical aspects--the WODs, the reps, Fran, Murph, Fight Gone Bad, Garage Games, and CrossFit Games--have all taken a back seat to what CrossFit really means; community.
The community of CrossFit is what first drew me in and it's the community aspect that keeps me coming back for more. I've CrossFitted in several places around the world and each place I've been welcomed with open arms as if I was a long lost relative. The last place I coached and trained was Crossfit Montgomery in Alabama, and since the first moment I walked in the front door, I was treated like family. My return to CrossFit Impavidus in Virginia was similar, with athletes I once trained running up to me to welcome me back. I've also met several people through my CrossFit journey who have scattered to the Four Winds, but we manage to keep in touch with each other and WOD together whenever we happen to be in the same city--or encourage each other to visit our respective home boxes if we're away.
To me CrossFit means holiday parties, weekends at the lake, cookouts, pool parties, dinners together, and even WODing together. What other gym "franchise" promotes this kind of camaraderie? So the next time you head to the box, think about what CrossFit really means to you and then kill the WOD knowing you're surrounded by family.