off the boulevard

we live on a street, assumed to be in the city
we're actually county by about 50'
even the cops struggle to know if we're in their jurisdiction or not.  we're not -- we're county sheriff territory over here.
but i digress
the boulevard that runs past our street has quite the history
it was the main thoroughfare back in the day
when considering where to put a freeway, it was the natural choice
unfortunately, the powers that be decided to put in a freeway in a part of town that was NOT naturally set up for a freeway in order to separate people along class and ethnic lines
suck
we live on the wrong side of the freeway, so to speak
the boulevard still has lots of traffic
of all sorts
cars, bikes, buses, trucks, foot traffic, sex traffic, drug traffic.  the gammut
since we live right next to it, we have a lot of foot traffic
often humdrum
sometimes exciting or scary, or people just trying to find their way

this week, while hosting a bunch of neighborhood kids, there was commotion outside
it was ironic
commotion outside contrasted with peace and joy and relationship building inside
when i walked outside to help the kids get back to their homes and families
their moms told me about some commotion that walked off the boulevard and onto our street

it was scary at first.  the moms were scared to intervene
but the woman who was left behind long after the shouting match (the guy's girlfriend took him far from here)
was wounded
and i'm so thankful for neighbors farther down the street who spent time with her, listened to her, advocated for her

two very different experiences off the boulevard
joy and laughter
pain and fear
all within feet of one another

i'm here, looking, for heaven to come down and restore and redeem all the brokenness
and bring joy and laughter and hope to all the kids and adults
on and off the boulevard

(may it be so)