The Welcome Wagon

I'm still thinking about building community among our neighbors. We have a community at my girls' school, and we're slowly acquiring a group of friends, but during our first year in Seattle, not once did a neighbor dropped by to say welcome.

I'm still thinking about building community among our neighbors. We have a community at my girls' school, and we're slowly acquiring a group of friends, but during our first year in Seattle, not once did a neighbor dropped by to say welcome.

Don't get me wrong: my neighbors are fine people. I've met most of them by now. But when we lived in the Midwest, I always made an effort to drop by a new neighbor's house to introduce myself. I took baked goods or a list of local resources, or a map of our favorite parks--anything, really, that would help them put down some new roots in their new neighborhood.

I guess if I want community, I need to build it myself. During the next couple of weeks, our family will be visiting people we don't know well or want to know better, offering something: brownies, fruits, welcome cards, etc. 

I'll report back on the thaw. You should, too. Go meet some neighbors and get back to me.