![\"Cutting](\"https:\/\/www.tomgrimshaw.com\/tomsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Steve_Cutting_The_Grass.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
This is my neighbor.
\nHe has no idea I took this photo from my window.
\nWhen my husband was deployed, one of the worries we had was about the grass.
\nWho would maintain the yard?
\nI could go out there and cut the grass myself, but with everything I had on my plate with the two girls, I wasn\u2019t feeling it.
\nWe could try and find a lawn service, but that still meant me having to make sure it got done and that they did a good job.
\nI wanted as little additional worry as possible while my husband was deployed.
\nThis is where Steve comes in.
\nI sent him a text and told him about the deployment. I wasn\u2019t sure if he would say yes, but I asked.
\n\u201cCould you help cut our grass? He will cut it today before he deploys tomorrow, but it would be great if you could cut it and help me maintain it while he is gone. We can pay you.\u201d
\nHe responded right away that it wasn\u2019t a problem at all and that he would not accept payment. He wanted to help.
\nI let my husband know, and we both breathed a sigh of relief.
\nWhen your husband is deployed, whatever worry you can take off your plate means the world.
\nKnowing the grass would be taken care of was enormous stress off my shoulders.
\nAbout an hour later, daddy was playing with his girls.
\nHe was trying to soak up as much time as possible with them before deploying the next day.
\nHe told them he could play for a bit, but he also had to go outside and cut the grass soon.
\nThen we heard it.
\nA mower.
\nMy husband said, \u201cAliette, Steve is cutting the grass! Maybe he misunderstood that we didn\u2019t need him to help us until next week when I\u2019m already gone.\u201d
\nI went outside. \u201cSteve, we didn\u2019t need you to start until next week, and he was going to do it today before he leaves tomorrow.\u201d
\nSteve responded, \u201cI know. But I\u2019m not the one about to leave my family for deployment. He can spend time with his family, and I got it.\u201d
\nMy face swelled with tears.
\nTears of worry, gratitude, anxiety, relief all rolled into one.
\nIt all came pouring out on Steve, who probably thought I was a bit overly emotional about grass.
\nBut it wasn\u2019t about the grass.
\nIt was about the gift of time he gave us.
\nA neighbor stepped up to help when we needed it.<\/p>\n
As I came back inside, I thought of Mr. Rogers.
\nIt\u2019s a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
\nA beautiful day for a neighbor.
\nSo let\u2019s make the most of this beautiful day,
\nSince we\u2019re together, we might as well say,
\nWon\u2019t you be my neighbor?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This is my neighbor. He has no idea I took this photo from my window. When my husband was deployed, one of the worries we had was about the grass. Who would maintain the yard? I could go out there and cut the grass myself, but with everything I had on my plate with the … <\/p>\n