After several years of high mortgage rates and hesitation from buyers, momentum is quietly building beneath the surface of the housing market. Sellers are reappearing. Buyers are re-engaging. ...
Published April 28, 2020
Ignite a Creative Community Spirit
One of the beautiful things that has come out of the tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic is the resiliency of the human spirit to continue seeking out positive messages and actions. There have been so many acts of kindness and a deepening sense of community. Neighbors are helping each other out by picking up groceries for those most at risk and providing resources to those who may be suddenly out of work.
What else I love is the level of creativity that community members are exploring during this shelter-in-place mandate. Art is therapy for people of all ages, and, right now, that art is manifesting itself in the form of chalk art.
What may have started as a way for parents to keep their little ones busy at home while off from school or daycare has evolved into a larger, positive movement across neighborhoods and communities. In my own neighborhood during walks, I have come across incredible chalk art in the common areas as well as on sidewalks and driveways.
And, it’s not just about kids making art. What I see are kids and adults working side by side to create positive images and write messages of love and hope. Parents are using art to help their kids positively cope with this confusing situation, transforming it into teachable moments about kindness and community.
Those that see the art always have the same reaction: a big smile, a chuckle, and words of praise for the artist. Even better is that many people are stopping during their own walks or bike rides to add their own chalk art to what’s already there. My own grandkids have joined in the fun from their own front yards, using chalk art for personal expression and enjoying the interaction with other kids and adults who pass by and admire their work.
As an adult, parent, grandparent, and community member, I feel as though this chalk art is also helping the rest of us see the positives and opportunities that we might have otherwise missed during our hectic pace of life. With a slower pace of life, chalk art also serves a reminder of a simpler time where kids regularly played outside and neighbors interacted. Don’t get me wrong, all of this technology is certainly helping us stay connected, but the chalk art just illustrates that we managed to do pretty well before, too.
Now that we are back in touch with what creates community spirit, let’s hope we keep that creativity and connection going even after the mandate is lifted and we return to work and school. As a realtor, seeing this chalk art also reminds me of one of the reasons why I made this a career: helping people buy a home not only enables them to achieve a dream, but it also solidifies the most important relationships we have as human beings. Each home -- and the chalk art out front -- connects our values as families, neighbors, and communities. That’s priceless.
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