October is the season when we decorate our houses with spider webs, carve jack-o’-lanterns, and help our children visit their neighbors dressed as ghosts, superheroes, and witches. Halloween is a celebration of make-believe fears, the kind we can laugh at after the trick-or-treating is over. But this month also offers a chance to reflect on the more serious fears we face in our daily lives, and how we as a community can respond to them with courage.
In Mountain View, many of our most common worries are tied to safety—crossing the street with kids, driving through our alleys, walking the dog after dark. These aren’t abstract fears. They are the real concerns of living in a small but busy town surrounded by larger cities and fast-moving traffic. When we updated our Comprehensive Plan, the most common, shared concern that residents articulated was that of safety: the need to slow traffic through town, the need to maintain our support for our police department, and the need to protect pedestrians.
That led directly to our photo radar program on Sheridan. It is also why the Town has been taking practical steps this fall—painting curbs yellow to indicate where no parking is allowed and improve visibility at intersections, adding mirrors at alley entrances, painting “SLOW” in reflective letters at alley exits, and putting up new signs reminding drivers of the 10 mph alley speed limit. These are simple, visible acts of community courage: acknowledging that risks exist, and then addressing them together.
But courage isn’t only found in new paint or signage. It shows up when neighbors look out for each other. Sometimes, that means keeping your porch light on so trick-or-treaters feel welcome and safe. Other times, it means slowing down behind the wheel, even when you’re running late. And often, it means watching out for the well-being of neighbors.
Courage also shows up in how we handle disagreements. In today’s world, it is easy to let anger or frustration spill over into destructive words or actions. But in Mountain View, courage can mean resisting that impulse—choosing patience and respect instead. Even when we disagree, we still share sidewalks, alleys, and our park. By treating each other with care, we make our streets safer not only physically, but emotionally.
One of the things I value most about Mountain View is that safety is a shared value. We don’t all share the same politics, backgrounds, or beliefs. But when it comes to wanting children to make it home safely, or seniors to cross the street without worry, or drivers and bicyclists to share the road responsibly, we all stand on the same side.
Masks and costumes may hide our faces for a night, but real courage means refusing to hide from the responsibility we have to one another. It means stepping away from fear, anger, or division and stepping toward care, safety, and community. That is how we keep Mountain View strong and safe—together.
