We are in the middle of a winter storm. It is cold and getting colder in the days ahead. There are power outages, and it is easiest to hunker down and stay home.
Then I begin to think of those who are alone, those who need a hand with their shoveling, those who need some groceries, and those who need warmth, and I wonder how we will know if we hunker down and keep ourselves warm and safe.
Being neighborly on warm summer days is one thing, but how do we ensure each other’s well-being daily? Please be intentional about caring for each other. Be kind, reach out, offer goodness, be generous…
No matter what climate you live in, consider checking in on your neighbors regularly. In the cold, we hunker down and stay in, but there are other ways we ignore the needs of those around us. We are busy; we enter our homes with our heads down, looking at our phones and focused on our next task.
It is fascinating to read how the pandemic grew neighbor relationships unexpectedly. I hope we don’t need a pandemic to experience the richness of kindness and care!
Listen to this recording from Life Kit on NPR…