A few months ago Grace (Katiny, as she is known to our kids), and I were out for our morning stroll. I was deep in gratitude for all the people who had helped shape life here since 1957 when my parents bought the house where I grew up. Strangely I had never really felt completely at home on Irving Rd until 2009 when I came to help care for my mother until the time of her death, and became a homeowner (well, the bank really…) beginning in 2014.
As family, friends, and neighbors long since passed or moved away washed over my mind, I also saw the images of new neighbors I had recently met, or passed, or said hello to. I wondered about their lives. Were they happy, fully engaged, supported by people who love them? I wondered if they were grieving or lonely, or sometimes did not know where to turn.
For the most part when I have met people in the neighborhood, sometimes they have not responded (leading me to wonder if I have spoken out loud) or they introduce their dog’s or children. I vowed that day to introduce myself, learn the names of those who responded and at least try to remember them until I got home to write them down. I came home that day started a list, and it has continued to grow.
Samuel Bakkabulindi our founder and president is always looking for ways to be of service not just in Uganda where our efforts are focused educating children, providing clean drinking water, and menstrual care, but here where we live as well. That very day we started a conversation with Livingstone, and our board members Charlie, and Tom about a block party to meet our neighbors and find out who they are.
We have continued to wonder, if we do things to build community in other places, in all likelihood, are our neighbors also engaged in equally impactful lives? The bigger more middle of the night question came to us as how do we build community here? Who can we turn to in our immediate community in times of joy and sorrow?
Life is very fast and busy and while many of us don’t have much time to sit braiding each other’s hair, at the same time isn’t it great to be getting to know treasures like Delores who is 90 and Esther who is 99? Isn’t it great to know Madison and her brother Evan who are curious about things like music and drums and open to people from other cultures? Wouldn’t it be great if the sidewalk chalk artist kids from the bottom of Irving rd could chalk create pictures with the kids from Bradford or Richard Rd?
Yesterday our neighbors along with Bakka2thesource Inc, took a step. All it took was generosity – a flyer, approval from the Town of Natick Board of Selectmen, Barriers from the Natick Police Dept, a donation from Stop and Shop, a donation from Donald’s, our lovely musicians Robert Simbwa, Samuel Kyambadde, our own Samuel Bakkabulindi, our board members Charlie, Livingstone, Tom, and the willingness of curious people from Irving, Wethersfield, Bradford, and Richard Rds and a few balloons. While there weren’t as many people as we had dreamed, as always the people who showed up were exactly the perfectly wonderful people we hoped to meet.
This morning the tents, and food, and music are gone, but the chalk work provided by the children on the street is proof that something good happened here. Hopefully, something we can build on. on behalf of Bakka2thesource, and our neighborhood, we thank you that our hearts are happy. God bless you all.
