I was eight years old when I moved into my current neighborhood. I can honestly say that it was singlehandedly the scariest thing I had ever done. It wasn’t the unpacking or the new home that scared me, it was the idea of making friends. At the time, I wasn’t confident nor did I have the need to be confident. So when my mom would push me to go outside and play, I respectfully said “no thanks,” and sat on the steps of my porch. I kept this routine up, until one day a girl my age came up to me. She looked at me and said, “Hey do you want to play catch with me and my brother?” I wanted to say no, but I knew this would be my only opportunity to befriend someone in the area. Together we crossed the street and made our way to the park, two strangers getting ready to play catch. I guess it was then that I realized that Sherwood Park was something special. It was there that I made my first friend, and it was also there that I gained confidence in myself.
“A neighborhood has the ability to connect people.” This is how we defined what makes a neighborhood, a neighborhood. There are so many things that contribute to the success of a well communicating, connected, neighborhood. Parks, stores, cafe’s, or even gas stations can stand as a Connector.
In my neighborhood, I am surrounded by a plethora of smells. In the summer time, the smell of barbecuing overwhelms the entire block. Charcoal burns, its smoke makes it way to unsuspecting noses of people walking around. In the winter, the air turns crisp and only the smell of car can be detected. And in the spring, the flowers begin to bloom, leaves start to grow, and the air is filled with the amazing scent of flowers. Spring time on 57th and Baltimore Avenue is a welcoming hug.
Philadelphians aren’t known for being the nicest people around, so it’s great to see smiles on people’s faces as they greet one another. In every neighborhood there is a Connector, a place where people from different sides of the neighborhood go to connect. A place that is responsible for creating lasting friendships, relationships, and harmony to a community. In my neighborhood, Sherwood Park is what stands as our Connector. In all honesty, if it wasn’t for this park, I don’t think people in my neighborhood would have such strong relations. It gives people the extra push to say “hello” to one another.