When we moved 12 years ago, it was a move of less than a mile. Way smaller house, way smaller lot. It was the House of Having a Teen, the best time in life to have a big house, a above ground pool and yes, our own personal soda fountain.
We were the last to the party. The Smiths and Jones, our next door and across the street neighbors, were already there. Never did find out how long but by very few convos, figured out it had been a while. Neither was very talkative. Not just to us but to each other. They could not have been more different. A college professor and a computer guy. The woman had less in common. In the 15 years we lived there, I never saw the women speak to each other. They both had kids but there was little interaction. DH says he say the boys playing once, but i just a few minutes, one got mad and went home.
We drive by our old street everyday and several times a year, go by the old house. We were there just this weekend, yard saling. The Smith and the Jones are still there. Close to 30 years of living not 15 feet away, with virtually no contact. While you don't have to be best buds with your neighbors, shouldn't there be some kind of mankind Love? I think about it with our house now, There is Craig and Suzie, and Neighbor Mike. Because of foreclosures, we have a whole new crop of neighbors that remind me of the Smith and Jones. They are young and transitory. One lives in house that has a for sale sign in front which doesn't evoke the same kind of fear it did just a few years ago, the house will still be for sale, long after they have moved on. Last weekend as Keaton mowed our lawn for Father's Day, he wanted to mow the young neighbor's yard, just because. She usually doesn't answer her door but this day she did. First she said, someone was coming that very day, then she said - he could mow it. He did a beautiful job, swept the sidewalks - it was a masterpiece. She didn't even come out and thank him.
There are many signs that we are slipping as a society but when life is all about us and kindness toward our neighbor is hard to find, that is when I start to worry. When I apologized to Keaton and thank him, he just looked at me with that face, and said. What would Jesus do... Touche, my fabulous boy.
