I am in shock that someone could make a homemade bomb to hurt citizens, athletes, and spectators at the Boston Marathon.  I doesn’t make sense.  It is cruel, hurtful and evil.  I am in despair and I feel very sad.

What can I do? How can I help?

I feel hopeless, but then I realize that there are people all around me.  People hurting, people needing support and I know that I can do only one thing in this moment of sadness:

I can be a neighbour.

I believe in my heart that if we really knew our neighbours, our world would be a better place.  If we took the time to really LOVE and understand our neighbours.  If we took the time to listen and care, we would not have so many human beings that feel so disconnected from each other.  Many people willing to kill each other.

In my despair, I stand on my soapbox and ask, could be a neighbour?

Our neighbour pumpkin carving night! 

Here is what being a neighbour means to our family, on our street, in our small town:

• Give your neighbours your phone number. (Once you get to know them.)
• Lend them things – we tend to lend out a ton of baby/kids stuff.  Imagine that!
• Borrow things from them – ask for some milk or a couple of eggs
• Get to know your neighbours.  We know everyone on our block as well as their parents, grandchildren and a few aunts and uncles.
• Ask the neighbourhood kids to walk your dog or take care of the lawn.  It gives them purpose and value.  (If they don’t accept, don’t worry.  Keep asking!)
• Drop off some cookies or a candy bar or a pizza if you know someone in the neighbourhood is sick.  Nothing fancy, just something from your family.
• Celebrate special events: I know people do block parties (we aren’t that fancy), but we do have card nights, BBQ’s and I have even hosted a yoga class in my living room.
• And our personal favourite for our street: If someone walks down the road, say hello and smile.  Simple and sweet!

I think being a neighbour also involves someone being in the home during the day.  I think if more families had a parent at home (at least part time), many of our North American problems would disappear.  Perhaps even huge bombing (and future bombings and shootings ) like the Boston Marathon Tragedy could have been prevented.