I attended a small college in the Midwest. I made friends with other kids from small towns. I learned that it was normal for some people not to lock their doors. Kids recalled that, if both parents worked, they’d automatically go to a neighbor’s house after their school day. I’ve been thinking about feeling safe at home. It’s been hard to imagine that school-aged children would not feel safe at home or at a neighbor’s home, It’s hard for me to imagine a young black man who doesn’t feel safe in his own neighborhood. Not safe from the police who are supposed to protect him. Think about what conditions or people make you feel safe in your house or your neighborhood. Write a paragraph or two about what it feels like to have your safety assured, what it feels like if those conditions are absent. How do you express gratitude for feeling safe at home?