Tales of neighborly good needs never seem to run short on my street. Over the weekend, I was surprised with a delicious food delivery from the family next door – along with an invitation to grill with them at the park!

With my hubby working in the Gulf of Mexico these days, three of my neighbor’s (eight) young kids have made daily excuses to knock on my door and ask oddball questions about my favorite sport/color/food. They’re creatively wondering “are you doing alright over there?”

I appreciate the concern, and I’m grateful for a family of neighbors who treat me like their own. The true concept of “community” is alive and thriving on my humble dirt road in Wasilla, where dozens of families have taken responsibility for the well-being of us all.

Along these lines, a few days ago I was washing dishes and peering out the kitchen window, when I saw an enormous black dog and a tiny four year old girl come bounding through a hole in my fence. I first thought the dog was chasing the girl, but then I realized the girl was running barefoot and crazy to my chicken coop! The dog was coming along to protect her on this wild adventure.

The little wisp of a child proceeded to dance for my chickens and try to feed them sticks – and when she tired of this, she attempted to scale the nearby fence to continue on her neighborhood rampage. Being less than three feet tall, she couldn’t quite conquer the fence, so she convinced her enormous Rottweiler pal to stand next to it, as she tried to climb the dog, then the barrier. I’ve never seen a more patient and benevolent dog.

At this point, I hurried out to stop the child and her sidekick from certain doom. Turns out my new friend “Hailey” doesn’t have a shy bone in her! When I asked where her parents were, she firmly stated “I snuck out the window, but I don’t think I’ll get a spanking.” Hahahaha!

About thirty seconds later, the girl’s mom and brother sped into my driveway on bikes, out of breath and worried. I explained how Hailey had ended up in my yard, and her mom was relieved that she was under the watch of a neighbor instead of wandering through the woods. So long as she was still in someone’s yard, she was certainly safe.

I’m not sure it’s wise to blindly trust ones neighbors with your children, but it’s really nice to live somewhere where the people are indeed trustworthy and protective of one another. I invited Hailey to come back any time – with her mom. The family returned to their home on the other side of the fence, and I was left with that happy feeling of being alone but not lonely when there’s always a friend next door.

How do you foster “community” in YOUR neighborhood?