Archive for October, 2009
It might just be a matter of perception, but I genuinely feel as though today’s suburban neighborhoods have lost their sense of community. Growing up just outside Detroit in the ’70s, neighbors were more than just the people you nodded to awkwardly while pulling into the driveway. Each summer, residents from every house on the block would get together for a day-long party. The street would be sectioned off so that no cars could pass, and we truly got to know the people around us.
When fall came and it was time for the other kids and me to head back to school, the adults held a community-wide yard sale. Best of all, the holidays were a time for giving and receiving unexpected gifts. You might return home from work to find freshly baked bread recently delivered by a thoughtful neighbor. This year I’m doing my part to restore that old community spirit by picking out a house warming gift basket for the family that just moved in next door. Hopefully they’ll pass the gesture on to others.
Domestic policy issues have been hogging national headlines in recent months, and for good reason. There’s no disputing that the economic recession and the health-care debate each deserve our time and attention. Unfortunately, the problems at home have a way of pushing other pressing affairs to the back burner. It’s easy to forget that so many of our young men and women are putting their lives on the line in foreign wars.
American troops have been engaged in Afghanistan for eight years, and there’s no sign that the conflict will be coming to a close anytime soon. Many citizens consider it their civic duty to remind the soldiers that their sacrifices are not in vain and that we appreciate what they do every day. A care package for the troops might seem like a relatively inconsequential gesture in the grand scheme of things, but it can serve as a token of your undying appreciation and gratitude.