The Rule of Three

This is a beautiful little story about reconnecting with the basic and essential things in life, crossed with an encounter with a visiting alien who may not be as kind and benign as they seem. It's full of wonderful cultural insights - leavened with some home truths - and has some darkness, but also some hopefulness.

I have a pro-technology bias, and I don't think that having everyone on Earth go back to living by the Rule of Three would be feasible. I like that the story also recognizes that, and that the narrator can acknowledge the deep flaws in our civilization while still feeling that humanity is worth saving.