I am Thankful...

     This morning I received an e mail from a person who I see as a friend as she does me, yet we haven't seen one another in about five years and she only lives an hour away. We vent to one another, celebrate and think things over to one another. At the end her email said, I am Thankful. Like many others I too have used that phrase. But we lead such busy lives we forget what others are going through and if we can help.
     About a week ago a much older woman stopped me, asking to talk to me outside. She explained her car trouble. I went to see her mechanic and asked if I can make arrangements to pay or pay part of it. He then told me, she just wants it fixed, a minute' oil leak which entails a lot of things having to come apart, and that it isn't  a need. The next day I took my car in for inspection and the owner took me outside to let me know that maybe I could buy that woman groceries. I did. I bought her a gift card at a local market asked the post lady to put in in her box, not saying it was me. Okay one thing done. What bothered me was this woman has a grown daughter living with her who doesn't help one bit. So is she just hoping mom dies and she'll get the house and car? What to do?
     Today I walked into a local convenience store and asked a young lady how things are going, knowing her situation. It's gone from bad to worse. What to do? In her situation, I do know I can find different kinds of help for her. So that's on my agenda for today and tomorrow before she becomes ill with all that has fallen on her.
       Then I think of my own grown kids as my friend said in that e mail. They never went through what I know many have gone through. Healthy, happy, bust with careers and families, friends and volunteering, from my children, I am thankful, so very, very Thankful.
     I am also thankful for what I have, where I've lived, people who I have known and befriended me, people who live close by me and have been like friends. For all of you I am thankful and I can't go on without mentioning, I am also thankful for three wise men who showed me as a young kid what real men are like. What a coincidence-or was it?

Stoverstown Pa. Community Meeting Tonight

        Tonight I attended a home meeting with a young teen and had an opportunity to meet other people, women. There were about seven women and one male teen. I couldn't believe my ears as I met and re-met, as in getting acquainted with these new faces, how accepting they were. I have lived where I live now for almost twenty-seven years and in all this time, I haven't met neighbors who are any where as friendly and accepting, sharing and kind as these people were.
 
         I have to go a step backwards. My neighbors and friends/family( one family ) who live in back of me are truly very special people and they are top of any list I'd have as far as good people. It would take me too long to tell you all about "The People Across the Field."

          When I moved here years ago I was told by a young man that it would take years for people to welcome and accept me as I was an outsider. He also stated that his family who lives on Stoverstown road weren't talked to by most neighbors. I thought, what the heck kind of an area did I move into? That young man was a youth minister. He said he learned to accept, that people here just want to keep to themselves. I didn't accept that, yet little by little I found that to be true, at least as far as I was concerned. The young man, the youth minister? He moved away.

       As I sat and listened to people introduce themselves and talk a little about Stoverstown history and how things changed, it reminded me of where I grew up Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn has changed too. Progress? I don't think so. To me progress is being happy where you are and not moving because someone who looks different than you changes the neighborhood. If we remain, we progress in making our town better and how do we do that?

      This is what this meeting was all about, how we do that. People came up with all kinds of ideas, making a community newsletter or getting involved in the one already put out by the township. Then there could be a Stoverstown book club, or a Stoverstown walking group, and even a Help Thy Neighbor group, which is concerned with as it appears to explain, helping someone who needs you. This can be anyone for anything, like a drive to a grocery store, helping to clean up a garden or start a garden, carry groceries in, clean someones refrigerator or garage and even their car.
       We also thought about having an old fashioned block party, and a sing a long/musical group. Oh , back to gardening. A positive suggestion is to have community gardens. There are people who live in apartments in Spring Grove and York New Salem who might like to help out and share with a neighbor or teens who might wants to help out at home by starting a family garden.

     Anything is possible when people come together for a community purpose. Remember good equals good. Next time you see a neighbor ask them this simple question...Can you tell me if there is------around here? When you say, "around here" usually they know you're new and it's a good way to hopefully start a, Community Connection .
   P.S. If you're interested in it, chances are, someone else is too. Check in, don't check out.