Our Community from the Caring Perspective

Michael's been gone for eight weeks. Where did two months go?
Well, we've been busy! Walking the dog, strolling the baby, dancing and gardening with Maizie--and cooking, shopping and playing at the local parks while we wait for letters, phone calls and e-mail from Michael.

At church, Pastor Walter John Boris encouraged us to bring a candle to light during Sunday service. This is the tradition that was started when his son deployed to Afghanistan two years ago. The candle is my reminder of the connection we share as we go on to live our lives here in Washington and hope for the best during this prolonged separation.

And Maizie cries less as the weeks lenghten into months and seems to have found ways to connect more deeply with family members such as Auntie Angie and Grandfather Kirk. Neighbors have offered to mow the lawn like Gordon, and a group of Christy's women friends takes turns in bringing dinner every other week.

And there's a new family child care provider, a young mother with two children of a similar age to my grandchildren who lives within walking distance. The children attend three afternoons a week. This is community--neighbors who help, affordable quality child care available and family who pop in to share a meal, fold towels and wash a toddler's hands and face. Perhaps if Michael had not deployed to Iraq we wouldn't have had the opportunity to know our community from the caring perspective.