I live in an AMAZING neighborhood. That’s why, when we outgrew our first house we just bought a bigger house one block away – we couldn’t give up this community. At least twelve families/ couples/ individuals within a four block radius ( a few have moved away but not in spirit) that are there for each other in thick and thin. We have BBQs and Halloween parties together, we babysit each others kids and go to concerts, we roast marshmallows in each others yards and take turns hosting wine tastings. This weekend, I saw with new eyes what I already knew – we are more than just the parties and the fun get togethers.
I had an idea to help a family in our neighborhood by hosting a community garage sale. The donations of salable items filled my garage to overflowing. People showed up almost everyday to help me price everything. They gave up their weekend to work the sale and when they said they’d be at my house at 7 a.m. to help set up they not only were there on time they came bringing coffee. Then they stayed. All morning. Both days. AND helped clean up. And then we all had a potluck and bonfire and my artist friend made a big, huge fake check for me to present to our friends but the dollar amount was real. We raised $1226 so our neighbors can do something incredibly unselfish that in our world costs money. I think I got about four words into my little speech before I started crying. Crying because as my friends who received this outpouring of love said, “I feel rich – the kind of rich that has nothing to do with money”.
