I still remember the sound of cereal boxes clattering and the neighbor’s dog barking every morning as I shepherded two kids aged eight and ten out the door. Weeknights blur into homework, soccer practice, and the never-ending search for clean socks, but there are pockets of calm that matter to me. My forties have taught me to cherish the small rituals: a slow cup of coffee after school runs, a blanket on the couch for movie nights, and swapping paint chips with Mrs. Long—our next-door neighbor—while the kids build forts. Those moments made me rethink walls as more than just…