On Neighborhoods

The world feels scary right now, but there is something beautiful happening in our neighborhoods.

The parks are taped off, but the parking lots are full of parents teaching their kids how to ride bikes.

Kites are stuck in trees at business parks and sidewalk chalk love letters are scattered in driveways, unmarred by the family car coming & going all day.

Little roller blade gangs of preteens are cruising the streets 6 feet apart instead of separated by screens & distracted by a black hole of a 24-hour news cycle they shouldn't be worrying about anyway.

Fields are full of older siblings teaching little siblings how to play catch & little siblings teaching big siblings how to play make believe again.

I recognize the faces of neighbors I've never seen before, who now walk past my yard at the same time we are out playing every morning.

It feels like the neighborhood coming alive, and that feels a lot like hope.

So when the world feels too big and the future feels too uncertain, I challenge you to look closer.

To the one neighbor who sent you a gourmet meal just because, or the family down the street who set out unseasonable holiday decorations just to make the neighborhood kids smile (and made the neighborhood adults smile in the process, too.) But especially to your own home, and what role you are playing in your community right now.

There is hope for us yet, and I'm convinced that it lives right here in the heart of our neighborhoods.