This morning, I left my adolescent children home alone and texted their father to check on them till I returned later in the afternoon. After roughly 40 minutes of him not responding, I dashed back home. As I pulled up, I noticed my neighbors standing around my house with buckets and mops.

Confounded, I ventured closer to my house, only to discover water running out the front entrance. I get inside, trekking through the ankle-length torrent in my dining room, and find my daughters trying to drain the water. A neighbor revealed that one of them had accidently damaged a pipe, flooding the entire house. They’d called for aid, and happily, the plumber had already turned off the water.

It’s late now, but my neighbors are still here, helping us wring water out of our possessions. Receiving a present is wonderful, but giving one has its own benefits.