Community

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how important it is to surround ourselves with people who are loving, kind, and genuinely good neighbors.

As a single mom, I do a lot. I can do a lot. But there are things I simply don’t love doing, and yard work is at the top of that list. Everyone knows I don’t have a green thumb, and yet my front yard somehow always looks taken care of. Not because I ask, but because my neighbors notice. They help clean it up, maintain the grass, and make sure it looks nice quietly, kindly, with no expectations attached. And of course, I make sure to thank them in my own way, whether it’s paying them, bringing gifts, or showing my appreciation however I can. Not because they’re obligated to help, but because generosity goes both ways.

Last night was another reminder of how much community matters. My boys and I were watching movies, cozy and relaxed, when around 11:30PM, I got a text from another neighbor apologizing that he was messaging so late, but wanted to let me know that my garage was open. Sure enough, we walked outside, and there it was. That simple text meant everything. Someone was looking out for us. Someone noticed. Someone cared enough to make sure we were safe, and safety, especially when you’re raising children, means the world.

Today, as I write this, I’m home alone. My ex-husband came to pick up the boys to play baseball because somehow Colorado decided to bless us with seventy degree weather, something we rarely see in December. Another friend picked up my daughter and took her to the farm. She already has six kids of her own, yet she chose to “adopt” mine, too.

So here I am in a quiet house with a candle burning, a cup of tea beside me, and my fingers typing away. 

There’s something deeply healing about building relationships that feel safe and peaceful. Being able to have my ex-husband show up without court orders. Being able to coexist, and even share moments together, for the sake of our children. That didn’t happen by accident. It came from a lot of work on both sides. From choosing peace over pride. Healing over resentment.

I hope my children grow up knowing that community is something essential in our lives. That community isn’t only about religion, it’s about people who uplift you, protect you, and show up when it matters. Not just through words, but through what they’ve witnessed, neighbors checking in, friends opening their homes, parents choosing peace over conflict. These are the lessons that stay. I hope they learn that love comes in many forms, and that when someone does enter their lives, they’ll understand what it means to take on a role not out of obligation, but out of care, because that’s what their community looked like.

We were never meant to do life alone.

I see now that Hashem doesn’t always answer prayers through dramatic miracles. Sometimes, He answers them through people. Through timing. Through small acts of kindness that feel ordinary, yet change everything.

                                                  Emunah