The string of bonfires my neighbors hosted last fall were a departure from the norm in more ways than one. Anticipating the bleak prospect of a Minnesota winter with limited social gatherings, my neighbors decided to rally those around them for a time of encouragement. Neighbors who have waved at each other for years came together for a few evenings to actually solidify each other’s names in the recesses of memory. Huddled around the fire, my neighbors dove beyond names, and began to tell about their pasts and how they reached their present states in life. Soon these perfect strangers were having deep, meaningful conversations with each other. “For better and for worse, it was the year of the neighborhood,” writes Henry Grabar over at Slate. He believes the neighborhood trend will continue in upcoming months, and if what’s happening in my own community is any indication, he seems to be making a reasonable …