When I got married a little over 7 years ago, I moved across the bridge to New Jersey where my husband grew up. Little did I know then, I was leaving behind a network of family and friends I would come to miss sorely years later. .We quickly moved from an apartment to a home in another nearby town and soon started a family. Even though the distance was not too great, I could not rely on an impromptu "pop-in" by my parents or close friends to help out with the hecticness that comes with being a working mom of two young boys. My neighborhood, although popular for young families due to the excellent school system, did not seem to be the friendliest. People tend to keep to themselves, and despite our best efforts to reach out to neighbors and other families, we felt we had failed to create a new "network" of people we could rely on or that we could support in turn. I missed Brooklyn even more, because there I had felt more of a sense of community than the suburbs I now call home.
This past Fall, my son started kindergarten at the zoned public elementary school and he became fast friends with another boy who lived about a block and a half away. The boy's parents were friendly and approachable and we soon learned they were always ready to lend a helping hand. The "network" had all of a sudden found me.
They were my go-to when my younger son was ill and his sibling needed a lift to school. When they found out my husband was sick, the mom (I'll call her Super Mom) made the most delicious chicken soup any of us had ever tasted. The family's caring and sincerity overwhelmed us. Today, I was dropping off the boys at school-(same drop- off school, but different drop-off times and entrances). Super Mom doesn't know it yet, but we are expecting our third child. I have been feeling tired and low on energy and strength. Somehow she knew I needed help this morning, as she offered to walk my older son to the entrance so I didn't have to lug my younger son the distance. If she only knew how much I really appreciated it!
I hope that this inspires women to help their fellow moms....you could really make a difference is someone' s life!!!