The Neighbor Who Cannot Reach the Gulf Still Belongs

By Douglas Vandergraph

(Photo courtesy of Douglas Vandergraph’s website)

The Mississippi Gulf Coast invites people outdoors. In Long Beach and nearby Pass Christian, a walk near the water, a stop at a neighborhood shop or a visit to the library can make an ordinary day feel connected to something larger.

But a community’s most welcoming places are not equally easy for everyone to reach.

A resident who no longer drives may experience the same familiar streets differently. A family managing a tight budget may hesitate before spending gas money on a gathering. Someone recovering from surgery may welcome an invitation yet find that the walk from the parking lot is harder than the event itself.

It is easy to describe these neighbors as isolated. It is more useful to ask whether we have made belonging difficult.

A local festival, service project or neighborhood meeting can begin with a simple question: Who would like to come but cannot get there? The answer might suggest a shared ride, a more accessible entrance, a volunteer to stay with someone, or a telephone call after the event. It might also suggest changing our plans rather than expecting the person facing obstacles to make every adjustment.

The churches, schools, small businesses and neighborhood groups that strengthen Harrison County do much of their best work quietly. When people coordinate a ride, share a meal and make sure no one is embarrassed for needing help, they express Christian values of service, humility and care in a language everyone can understand.

That care must not become a photograph taken for recognition. A neighbor’s dignity matters more than our desire to be seen doing good.

The Gulf will always be part of the area’s beauty. The truest beauty of Long Beach will be found in the way its residents make room for people who cannot easily join the crowd.

An invitation is thoughtful. An invitation accompanied by a way to arrive is love put to work.