People in Your Neighborhood
Newsletter December 5, 2022 Together, we're #keepingitsacred... |
There is something so wholesome and good about connecting well with people around you. Original 'Sesame Street' member, Bob McGrath z"l, died this week after dedicating his life over 47 season of the show to teaching children how to create healthy communities that appreciated each person's contributions to the whole-- he famously performed the song, "People in Your Neighborhood" (see it HERE).
The popular Jewish song, Hinei Ma Tov, comes from Psalm 133 and echos this sentiment. It affirms how good and pleasant it is when people dwell together. Only, it uses the Hebrew word for brother instead of "people," hinting at the idea that humanity has the power to affirm love and create communities of care in neighborhoods.
To have great neighbors, that is a huge blessing. To see the same old familiar faces walking by with their dogs or waving hello from their porches. There's a sense that we are each looking out for each other and here to help if anyone needs an extra hand or extra cup of sugar. See THIS article to read about plenty of benefits to being neighborly. Just this week, in fact, I helped a neighbor find an Amazon package that had been delivered to the wrong house, and attended a neighborhood holiday party. 'Tis the season! But truly, it is always the season to share pleasant greetings and extend a helping hand to those who live nearby. You never know how much a simple wave may mean to the person you encounter; indeed it may be the only interaction they have all day. And even if it isn't, it makes us all feel more connected.
Being a good neighbor is an expression of love as Leviticus reminds us to "love your neighbor as yourself." That means we should create the environment around us that we want to live in. And, in a globalized society, that doesn't have to stop at the end of your street! Humanity has organized itself into cities, countries, and international communities. Like Keeping It Sacred. We may live 12 time zones away, but we are no less able to be neighborly and to extend kindness and care for one another.
That's how together, as a community, we're #keepingitsacred... Rabbi Heather Miller Founder, Keeping It Sacred |
The above is an excerpt from a Keeping It Sacred newsletter. If you want to read the entire newsletter or any from our archives, please head over to: keepingitsacred.com/news And if you'd like the newsletter delivered to your inbox every week, please share your name and email address in the fields at the bottom of the page in the purple boxes. Thanks for your interest, and thanks for #keepingitsacred… |