Today I am thankful for my neighbors. The wonderful thing about living in family student housing is that you are forced to live with people who are in the same situation as you are. One or both parents in graduate school while raising young children on a limited student stipend, while living away from the support of grandparents nearby to lend a regular hand. As one of my neighbors mentioned today, a date occurs when the children are happily occupied at the other end of the table while you and your significant other have a chance to actually…talk…like to each other. It is comforting being surrounded by people each day who just get it. There is no need to explain why you nearly fell asleep on the bench while your child played in the sandbox. No judgment for pulling up a chair while you push your toddler on the swing. There is a mutual understanding that this is hard. That days are long, and weekends don’t really exist when trying to write a dissertation. And above all, we understand that we wouldn’t trade any of it. Tonight we went to dinner with some of our neighbors. We let the children run amuck at the pinball machine, while we sat together, shared a beer, some fries, and comfort in knowing we are on this journey together.
Today I am thankful for my neighbors.
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