In a world that rewards busyness and constant motion, courage might not seem like the first trait that comes to mind when we talk about being a good neighbor. But courage is at the very heart of neighboring. Not the kind of courage that earns medals or headlines or discovers new worlds like Columbus did —but the quiet, consistent strength to show up, slow down, and make space for the people around you. When we talk about becoming an Engaged Neighbor , we pledge to build connections intentionally, apply leadership skills right where we live, and grow our social capital through neighborhood relationships. Those ideas come to life through five REACH principles, and the fourth one— Courage —may be the hardest to practice in our everyday lives. Courage to Be Available The first act of courage is to discard a lifestyle of busyness. In many ways, busyness has become our society’s most accepted form of isolation. We fill every square on the calendar and call it productivity, but the cost is av...

Every year during Missouri Good Neighbor Week , hundreds of acts of kindness are reported. We hear about neighbors mowing lawns, delivering meals, writing thank-you notes, or organizing block parties. But here’s a reality we don’t talk about enough: for every act of neighboring we report, there are many more that go unreported. Some seem so trivial that people think they aren’t worth mentioning. Holding the door open, waving from the porch, or picking up litter on your street might not sound newsworthy. Yet these simple gestures form the invisible threads that hold neighborhoods together. They build trust, send signals of care, and remind us that someone is paying attention. When we dismiss small acts as “too small to matter,” we undervalue the very habits that make neighboring possible. But there’s another side to this coin.  In my own life, I’ve discovered a larger category: the acts of neighboring that never get done. I can’t count the number of times I’ve thought, I should ta...

  The neighboring movement across the United States is about building stronger communities by connecting with the people around you. It’s about getting to know your neighbors and creating relationships that can make a real difference in everyone’s lives.  However, some people think that simply posting on social media or showing support with nice words is enough. "Virtue signaling” or empty posts is not enough! Being an engaged neighbor requires real action and heartfelt connections. Virtue signaling is when someone shows support for a cause, but their actions don’t match their words.  It might feel good to share a post or talk about how much you care, but true change happens when we take action in our own communities.  The neighboring movement nationwide is not asking for likes or comments on social media; it’s asking for real connections that build a sense of community.  For example, instead of just posting about how important it is to help others, you could ...