I Love my Neighbors

We didn't know when we bought our house how the neighborhood was. I wanted to ask questions. Is it liberal? Are there children? How strict is the HOA? Will there be potential babysitters nearby? Do people visit in the streets? But no one could answer those for me and so I had to take a leap of faith.
I am so glad that I did. My street is pretty darn liberal. There are many children. The HOA is fabulous. My babysitter's family lives next door. We often chat and hang out together in our lawns. We started a book group called "books in the hood". Everyone comes out and lends a hand on our movie nights. My children's best friends live on our street and mine do too.
Last Friday, my neighbor sent me a text. "FAC at my house. 6:30". Friday afternoon club. Happy Hour. We had a wonderful time, eating drinking, telling stories and sitting by the fire. I love these people. They are interesting and kind and fun.
The children run free every afternoon and weekend. They run from house to house and from game to game. There are so many of them and they all play and play and run and disappear and nobody worries about them.
Yesterday afternoon, I met my neighbor at the mailbox and told her how nervous I was about the election. She sympathized and we chatted and decided to have an election watching party at my house. My other neighbor offered to bring pizza. Two more neighbors joined us. We had a a party. I had friends who held my same values to figuratively hold my hand. The election night was awful. But the friends I had with me were wonderful.
I am very lucky to have landed in this neighborhood. I do not take it for granted.