Filled with girl scout cookies in the spring or campaign leaflets in the fall. along the crowded sidewalks and cobbled streets of our neighborhood. with every step and unspoken lesson in hard work giving back and civic participation imagine hands that like hers were both soft and strong. hands that exchange greetings with number ellis heads of states, refugees and fighters for freedom. hands that congratulated graduates and new citizens. hands that tickled our toes when we were young took our temperatures when we were sick. held our babies. when newly-born. in the hands that often join together in prayer that people everywhere my live in peace.