By Tina Teng-Henson

In a Facebook world
Who is not my neighbor? 

I find myself buying my college friend Aaron’s little daughter’s clay-made jewelry.
They’re clear across the country 
in Pennsylvania
But we’re in touch
Because her dad and I still connect
Once a month
To pray for Harvard 2004 alumni friends 
Who once were neighbors
In Cambridge, Massachusetts
20 years ago.  

In a small city
Who is not my neighbor? 

I text Jess, two doors down
About her sweet new puppy
Who brings her family joy
She tells me she’ll miss us 
When we move across Santa Clara
Temporarily
While our house is under construction.
But even then, we’ll be renting 
Our *other* neighbors’ condo
Which they lived in
During *their* renovation. 
All these neighbors became friends
During Covid. 
Before that, we were all strangers.  

In a post-Covid world
Who is not my neighbor? 

I felt so distanced from my older sister
The one in New York
Because our political views were different
One of us didn’t vaccinate for good reason
There was misunderstanding and judgment
Hurt feelings
Text messages in ALL CAPS
We spent a lot of time and invested a lot of heart 
Finding our way back home to each other.  
Today, I’m visiting her from California with both my girls
And lounging on her couch
I could imagine living here near her!
I get to be her neighbor for 5 blissful days
It feels soooo good to be around her
Once again

In a multi-faith world 
Who is not my neighbor? 

I love this interfaith friends group
We formed because
We want to learn from each other
Ram, Julia, Aysenur, Anumeha…
Fellow parents at my kids’ school. 
Hilit is the Jewish mom who turns out
Lives around the corner from us
Whose world was rocked on Oct 7, 2023. 
See, this is how *I* learn the news 
From real people, my neighbors
Listening to them process their tragedy
Learning from their sadness and pain
How to pray
How to mourn 
How to love 
How to breathe

This group means so much to me
Because I have no agenda
There’s just Mutuality
Exchange
Free form discussion
Honest questions
Back and forth
Between
Neighbors
And
Friends

In March, we’ll break fast together
In April, we’ll ask
How/Can we critique our faith traditions
Even as we respect and cherish them? 

In February, it was 
How do we see the image of God
In our spouse?
Not taking them for granted
Or overlooking them

This is a good life

Though it has been 
such a full season

I say that in every 
Post I ever write
For this audience

When will it end? 
Where do the boundary lines fall? 
How do I place them in good places
So I can enjoy that godly inheritance? 

My neighborhood keeps on growing

Dear friends move away
Then come back home

Old neighbors resurface in our hearts
When their pictures pop up
On my newsfeed.

Former youth leaders who once were neighbors on Long Island
Now live in Washington State
But come over for dinner
Because they’re in town
For work

Yet another reason why I appreciate
Living in the Bay Area

I need to turn in and get some rest
Because tomorrow is another day
I do not know how many neighbors
I will interact with
Over the airwaves, through these words,
Who we’ll bump into while
Visiting the Statue of Liberty

All the lines of my heart
Have blurred
Everyone is all in there together
Grant me your huddled masses 
Yearning to breathe free
Whilst I lift my torch 
To freedom

Tina Teng-Henson is now the Discipleship Pastor for Peninsula Covenant Church. She recently completed Spiritual Direction training and loves to write when opportunities avail themselves. She and her husband John have three energetic children, two cats, and a lovely backyard in Santa Clara, CA. Come visit!