A letter to my Northpoint Neighbors
Dear Neighbors,
When I first started writing for our neighborhood magazine, Northpoint, I asked the designer to change the salutation on my monthly letter from ‘Dear Residents’ to ‘Dear Neighbors.’ I wanted you to know that I saw you NOT simply as people who owner-occupied space in our neighborhood, who could support the ad sales, but as people who were connected because of our love and appreciation for these blocks and, I hoped, our mutual respect for each other.
You’ll notice the September issue is/was my last. Lest you think my love of this neighborhood ended with this departure, I thought I would let you know in no uncertain terms, it has not.
As I was sending that issue to print at the end of July, the publishing company asked me to remove two small references to the Black Lives Matter Movement and the protests that have occurred daily since George Floyd was murdered by a policeman in Minneapolis. These references were not full blown articles about the movement or the protests, they were peripheral and tangential. A single sentence, and a small photograph. I dare say you might not have even noticed the authors had included them if you were not reading carefully. (Though dear reader, you always read carefully, right?) 😊
Of the 10 photos submitted for this article, they would not print this one.
You will be none the wiser when you receive your magazine. You won’t see the pictures above. Indeed, in order to print, the changes had to be made. Company policy. Handbook rules.
But this is why you will no longer see my name attached to the magazine.
I wanted to let you know this personally. Because I am committed to our neighbors. And while I only reported the feel-good, cheerful and congratulatory pieces (and - don’t get me wrong - enjoyed sharing these with you), I could not - in good conscience - whitewash a moment.
And indeed, we are in a moment.
Black lives matter.
We are living through a time when each of us can do something to bring about a better, more just world. To create change. To inspire others. To lift each other up. To recognize privilege and to live out the maxim from JFK: “To whom much is given, much is required.” (In my head it’s always been JFK who said this, but it turns out Jesus said it first. Jesus said it, people!)
But I think, perhaps most importantly, we are living in a time when we are called to connect to one and other, to see each other, and to really listen to each other. Even though this quarantine has provided us every opportunity to disconnect and isolate, I believe it’s our job to find ways around that. If ever we needed community, the time is now.
I’m hoping I’ll find a new way to connect our community, to bring together people and stories and shared experiences. (Side note: if you’re a neighborhood Mom, you might enjoy the on-demand version of my new e-course helping moms prepare their hearts and homes for a virtual school year) As before, please stay in touch with me, keep me posted, share your news.
In my second ‘Dear Neighbor’ letter back in April 2019, I quoted Christina Baldwin from her book Storycatcher: Making Sense of Our Lives through the Power and Practice of Story.
In it, she wrote, “Story is the electromagnetic conductor that brings us close enough together to make the leap of association and identification, to see that another person is a variation of ourselves.”
I hope you’ll keep sharing your stories, just as I will keep sharing mine. So that we can see a piece of ourselves in each other. Let’s make it a positive reflection, shall we?
In gratitude,
Meagan
P.S. The best way to stay in touch with me is to sign up for my newsletter or check back here for updates!
