One evening in March, police knocked on my door to say a neighbor’s life alert had gone off, and no one could reach her. Her son told them she’d dropped the device earlier but was likely asleep, and he didn’t want officers startling her. He asked that I go in first. With the police at my side, I entered the house and turned on the lights to wake her gently. I called her name, and she woke up—startled but okay. Once I explained why I was there, she allowed the officers and paramedics to come in. She’d simply dropped the device and hadn’t reset it, and she felt embarrassed for the commotion. Everyone—police and paramedics—was kind, reassuring, and patient with her. Moments like this show how much those long‑standing neighborly connections matter when someone needs help. It was an honor to have been asked - and trusted! The next night, I ran into one of the officers at a public meeting, which gave us a chance to acknowledge each other’s roles in helping my neighbor. Moments like that ...
