This is Steve, my neighbor. He doesn’t know I snapped this photo from my window, but I couldn’t help it—it captures something so special. When my husband was deployed, one of our worries was, surprisingly, the grass. Who would keep up the yard while he was gone? I could try to handle it myself, but between everything else and our two little girls, it felt like too much.
We considered hiring a lawn service, but even that meant coordinating and checking the job every time. That’s when I thought of Steve. I sent him a text, explaining about the deployment and asking if he could help keep the grass in check. I offered to pay, but Steve immediately said he’d be happy to help and wouldn’t accept a dime. My husband and I were so relieved to have that one less thing on our plate.
A little while later, while my husband was soaking up precious time with our girls, we heard a mower start up. My husband looked over, a bit puzzled. “Aliette, Steve’s cutting the grass! Maybe he thought we needed him to start right away.”
I went outside to explain. “Steve, you didn’t have to start until next week. My husband was going to take care of it today before he leaves tomorrow.” Steve just looked up and said, “I know. But I’m not the one leaving my family for deployment. He should be with them, and I got it.”
In that moment, my emotions overflowed. It wasn’t just about the grass—it was about the time Steve gave us, the comfort of knowing we had a neighbor who cared enough to step in when we needed it most.
As I walked back inside, I thought of Mr. Rogers: It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood…won’t you be my neighbor? We’re so grateful for ours.
