We are new. We moved to Ohio over two years ago from Salt Lake City (yes was a big move) and we still feel new. We are much better at getting around, finding what we need without gps and we have favorite places to go but we still feel new. Sure we miss the mountains and the fry sauce but most of all, we miss our community.
Slowly, but surely we are making progress. Walking our dogs, saying hello, sitting outside our house and greeting folks goes a long way… so does food….passing out popsicles to families walking by and the hot brownies and food I send to the neighbors now and then has fostered some sweet connections.
But there has been a shift. Clearly the political landscape and the growing emergence of name calling and devaluing of people has taken center stage….with that has come a shift in me. I no long just want to meet people….I NEED TO MEET PEOPLE. For myself, for my family, for my sense of humanity. I need people to know in our neighborhood and especially on our corner they are welcome. Not because we are going to agree or because we plan on being friends with them forever. We need to let people know that respect, love and humanity reign here and we want folks to be a part of it.
Then David LaMotte, like he does speaks directly to my heart and makes a sign and hammers it into his house. YAAAAAAS! I want one!
So here it is. We put it up on Inauguration Day. We needed to find a way to celebrate our humanity and the intention and invitation to those who walk by to do the same.
Since then we get more smiles, more waves and now and then people actually stop, knock on our door and thank us. Thank us!
So, somehow I hope others will follow. We belong to one another and deeply need to remember this.
ps: if you hang one up…think about lighting it up….it really shines light in the darkness!
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