Day Thirteen: Connect to Neighbors

In our neighborhood right now, people aren’t going out much. You’ll see someone walking a dog occasionally, or a family with kids out on a bike ride, but our streets would usually have a steady stream of runners, people waiting at bus stops, grandmothers pushing strollers and lots and lots of kids coming and going to school. I miss that. I miss spontaneously seeing my neighbors and friends and checking in on how they are doing.

But I also know a lot of my neighbors are older and have been scared of this thing longer than I have. So how can I connect to them? Of course, I can offer to help with groceries and the like. Around here, grocery delivery is pretty common and I see the trucks coming and going to people’s houses. We’ve been out in our front yard doing yard work a lot (again, it’s kid-free time) and I’m trying to wave to everyone who goes by.

I wonder if we have to figure out what spontaneously neighborly connection means in this time. Maybe it means trying to sit outside sometimes so we can at least give people the briefest of human connection. Maybe it means staying inside to respect that what our neighbors need is our care for their safety. Maybe it means something as silly as bringing out some sidewalk chalk to help other people smile when they walk by.

I’m not quite sure yet but I know we need to try. What are you doing or seeing that is connecting you to your neighbors?