You're Going To Put A Dent In My Mini Blinds...

They say it takes a village to raise a child. I say it takes a community for that child to survive. Today my block club wrapped up its’ final planning session for our 1^st Annual Fall Harvest Festival Block Party. I’m excited to see our block pull together for the benefit of us all.  The faithful 10 has met each week for the past two months to get what seemed an impossible effort off the ground.

I moved here 10 years ago when my marriage ended.  I came with two small children, favorite daughter, 8 and favorite son, 6.  Dazed, confused and not quite sure of my next move I began to find my way. I immersed myself in the kinships of my block.   They in turn embraced a single mother with two small children.   My neighbors looked out when I had to work overtime. They stepped up to babysit when I got accepted to the UAW-Ford Apprenticeship Program.  When I found myself working insane hours, crazy shifts and going to school, they stepped in with untold support.  The community wrapped its’ arms around us. They uplifted us.  That fairy tale ideology of community is what I found on my block. People joke when they come to visit me that it seems we all know each other. They marvel at the fact that we are indeed one big family that happens to be situated on one city block.  And to this I say we sure are.

That is why it is with great pride that I am able to work on our block party. The seniority block club members (30 plus years) tell me they haven’t had such an event since the late 70’s early 80’s.  The level of excitement is infectious. Although I would have liked for every neighbor on our 44 house block to participate I understand that you cannot have it all. So come Saturday we will break bread, karaoke, learn new hustles, bob for apples, challenge each other in our chili cook off challenge, slam dominoes, send people to Boston, make our books, toss rings on pumpkins, but most of all we will fellowship with our neighbors. We will get from behind the mini blinds and spend some one on one time getting to know each other once again.