Ah, Grandma May… you taught me a lot about watching over the neighborhood and being a fierce warrior, protecting it. You lived there and nothing was going to harm it on your Neighborhood Watch! True of you, true of all the Queens of Aileen Street. You taught us to take care, to stand up straight and to acknowledge every single person on the street.

Even the most sullen teenage boys were sure to say hi and smile at you as if they meant it. It was sweet — and it was a good model. They learned; we all learned.

Today I watch your “kids” from the Facebook Street. They post their pictures, they open their hearts. I get to applaud their successes, commiserate on their losses, and be stunned by their beauty and sweetness. We visit a little back and forth. Because of Facebook, Aileen Street still lives in me. And oh those girls are gorgeous! And better yet? kind. And the community continues.

And there are other streets as well, and that’s so wonderful. A couple of those streets are across an ocean, some across a continent, some spread across a region, and some right here. Come Sunday, it’s time to sit out on my stoop (both real and virtual) and pass the time of day. Good day. How’re you doing?

Sitting on the virtual stoop means when I visit in real time that we can just pick up chatting and visiting where we left off. Sitting on the local one means getting to know and love the neighbors. (only once in a while can I hear May’s voice saying, “Who told her she could wear that?” and “If her grandma could see the way she keeps that lawn!” But always there was the love.

Tech Peace. Local Peace. Sabbath Peace. How wonderful when they work. Finding the balance is the key!