Community Is Not a Place, It Is a Verb

I recently started a small neighborhood garden project, and it changed the way I see my street. Before, everyone was just a person walking their dog or getting their mail. Now, we have names. We have shared interests. We have a reason to talk. We’ve stopped being strangers living in the same vicinity and started being a community. It didn't take a huge budget or a grand plan; it just took a few people deciding to be kind to a patch of dirt together.

In our digital age, we’ve lost a lot of our 'third places'—the spots where we hang out that aren't home or work. This has led to an epidemic of loneliness that is particularly hard on our generation. Kindness is the tool we use to rebuild these spaces. It’s the 'verb' of community. It’s checking on your neighbor when their lights are off for too long. It’s sharing a surplus of lemons from your tree. It’s showing up for things because you know your presence matters.

Looking forward to National Kindness Week 2026, I hope we can focus on this localized kindness. We can't always fix the global problems, but we can fix the vibe of our own block. Mutual aid isn't just about money; it’s about the mutual exchange of care. It’s knowing that if your car breaks down, there’s someone three houses over you can call. This level of interconnectedness is what makes us resilient in the face of uncertainty. It creates a safety net that no government or corporation can provide.

So, my challenge to you is to be a little bit 'too much' this week. Say hi to the person who lives next door. Offer to help someone carry their laundry. These things might feel awkward at first—we’ve been conditioned to mind our own business, after all. But minding each other's business is exactly what kindness is. It’s the decision to care about what happens to the person standing right next to you. That’s how we turn a neighborhood back into a home.