Community and other blessings

I had lunch with neighbors today, and am thinking about how remarkable that is.  Perhaps not to whomever might read this, but it's noteworthy to me.

To walk downtown, with 3 other women, who live directly next door and across the street, organized by the most recent one of us to live here -- what a lovely thing.  We've all conversed separately, in a neighborly way, been to communal gatherings, worked together, etc. but it was really nice to troop off as 4 women (of a more or less similar age) to have lunch together. 

And we said, as we came home, we need to do this each month.

My small college towns, where I'd lived for the last three decades, didn't have this sense of community. Yes, I had friends, and lovely ones, but without children (or a religious affiliation), community revolved around the University and work.  (Yay, go Tigers!)

So, sending best wishes for connecting to those near and far.  A brief topic of conversation at lunch revolved around being afraid in our communities and neighborhoods, and in the US, in general.

I'm not afraid in my community.  It's a good thing to know your neighbors, reach out to new folks, and connect to those in need.