On the joys of a neighborhood
Libraries, ice cream trucks, connection
On the second-to-last day of the school year, I picked my son up from his half day. The kids poured out from the building, heading home and to friend’s houses and grandparent’s houses in every direction.
One block away, we passed a lemonade and bracelet stand where we, obviously, ordered a large lemonade and a blue beaded bracelet with a turtle charm.
On the next block, we stopped into the library so I could vote in the primary election. Our neighbor is an election volunteer and that afternoon he also volunteered to teach Clark how to snorkel in his pool. Clark, inspired by his new bracelet, picked up a book about sea turtles (and one about the Wild Kratts) and I grabbed two novels that were on hold for me.
I had parked my car by the library, but we decided to leave it there and walk the last few blocks to our house. An hour or so after we got home, we heard the ice cream truck and tracked it down a few blocks away.
An unbeatable afternoon.
Wednesday was the last day of school and another early dismissal. Kids ran everywhere, the PTA sold shirts and magnets, the school was giving away free backpacks, the sun was shining. Best of all? The library launched their Summer Reading challenge, timed perfectly for kids throughout the city to head right over to their local branch as soon as school let out. We walked there again, got our free ice cream sundaes and signed ourselves up. It seemed like the whole school was there.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this post on small city density, and how several folks noted that when you can condense the time or space — like at a farmer’s market, for example — small cities can experience the same benefits of density as larger ones. That’s how this week has felt for me, as though time and space have shrunk down enough for my neighborhood and city to feel friendlier and cozier than usual.
A final anecdote: One morning I was dropping off library books (do you see a theme here, we are always at the library) but then missed my bus to work. So I waited a few more minutes until Chris and Clark appeared around the corner on the way to school and snuck some bonus time in with them before catching the next bus downtown. Not ideal, but also sort of sweet. That afternoon, I decided to walk back from work which always makes me feel like I’m really part of a place instead of just passing through.
Just kidding, here’s the final anecdote: Last week we celebrated six new Habitat homeowners and their new homes. Friends and supporters packed inside two of the new (air conditioned) homes, coming together despite the terrible heat wave to cheer on our neighbors. We walked around the corner for a happy hour drink, and even though that happy hour turned into a near-tornado storm, I left smiling and thinking about how good, how life-giving, it is to be in community with each other.
Love this😍