On Tuesday evening friends from inside and outside SoCe gathered at the SoCe Life office to share a meal and to share stories of abundance and neighboring that they have experienced. I would describe the tone of the evening with two words: contagious joy! 
 
The stories that people shared ranged from seemingly small things like mowing a lawn, checking the mail, sharing and maintaining asparagus, up to larger actions such as hosting a birthday party and even providing housing. But what struck me the most was the impact it had on us as we shared these stories. There was a joyfulness and positivity that grew with each story. 

As I reflect now on this gathering, I’m realizing how vitally important it is for us to gather with other people and share these types of stories. They encourage us, they inspire us, they remind us of similar moments in our lives--which can sometimes be overlooked. Taking the time to remember our own stories of neighboring and hearing stories from others helps us polish the lens of abundance so we might see good things in our lives more quickly. 
 
So here is my suggestion: DIY! Sit down with your family, your neighbors, your friends. It doesn’t have to be formal or fancy, just a simple conversation of storytelling about the abundance you see. It might take some time for people to think of a story initially, but my hunch is that once you get started it will be pretty hard to stop!