Neighborhood and place-based belonging

The neighborhood as a place of belonging has eroded steadily in many parts of the world as mobility increased and screens drew attention inward. What remains — the shared sidewalk, the known face across the fence, the community that forms around a local school or park — is more fragile and more precious than it used to be. Place-based belonging asks almost nothing of you philosophically; it asks only that you be present where you actually are.