Neighbors
Due to some extended construction in my area, I have been driving out by another route. Through a fairly new development that is just a few years older than my neighborhood. The houses are like those in my neighborhood but the trees are bigger and the shrubs are thicker. I always felt good driving through. I couldn't figure it out. It was just a nice neighborhood. But there was something different about it. This evening it hit me. People!! Every time I drove through there were people. Little groups standing on sidewalks chatting. Or maybe 3 or 4 people sitting in lawn chairs on their (gasp) lawn sharing some libation and a few chuckles. This is a neighborhood of people who know and like each other. Just like the old fashioned kind you only get to see in vintage movies.
It seems that for decades the neighborhoods have been more and more uninhabited. The cities and towns that I grew up in were inhabited by people. Some you didn't care that much for but most of them were fine, friendly and outgoing people. My daughters were safe in our town because there were neighbors to watch out for them. (and report back to me). Neighbors would stand around and talk about local politics, prices of groceries and just friendly gossip. Share some lemonade or iced tea and just enjoy being outside.
I remember that when Dad, Barry (brother) and I were building mom and dad's new home we would start working early in the morning and by noon we would have at least 3 offers of help and a good 2 gallons of iced tea offered to us from the soon to be neighbors.
It's not like that anymore. The only time you see your neighbors is when their blinds separate and you see their eyes peering out to see what you did to make that loud noise.
I think I have discovered the reason that all of humanity has sequestered themselves indoors.
AIR CONDITIONING!! Yup. We have grown into a generation of wimps. Let a little bead of sweat dot our brow and we nearly go into cardiac arrest. It's not because we don't like our neighbors. Its not because we don't trust our neighbors. Its because we don't want to sweat.
Houses are built these days without the big front porch because we don't sit outside anymore. We don't want to sweat and lord forbid a bug might land on us.
It's time to start a revolution. Go get that lawn chair (I'm sure you still have one in your garage somewhere) fix up a pitcher of iced tea and go outside. Sit on you lawn and enjoy the outdoors. the fresh air. Wave to the next car that drives by. Say howdy to the next person to walk by.
If we could only bring back neighborhoods some of the more personal problems we have may be solved or at least put into perspective.
Wouldn't that be nice!
It seems that for decades the neighborhoods have been more and more uninhabited. The cities and towns that I grew up in were inhabited by people. Some you didn't care that much for but most of them were fine, friendly and outgoing people. My daughters were safe in our town because there were neighbors to watch out for them. (and report back to me). Neighbors would stand around and talk about local politics, prices of groceries and just friendly gossip. Share some lemonade or iced tea and just enjoy being outside.
I remember that when Dad, Barry (brother) and I were building mom and dad's new home we would start working early in the morning and by noon we would have at least 3 offers of help and a good 2 gallons of iced tea offered to us from the soon to be neighbors.
It's not like that anymore. The only time you see your neighbors is when their blinds separate and you see their eyes peering out to see what you did to make that loud noise.
I think I have discovered the reason that all of humanity has sequestered themselves indoors.
AIR CONDITIONING!! Yup. We have grown into a generation of wimps. Let a little bead of sweat dot our brow and we nearly go into cardiac arrest. It's not because we don't like our neighbors. Its not because we don't trust our neighbors. Its because we don't want to sweat.
Houses are built these days without the big front porch because we don't sit outside anymore. We don't want to sweat and lord forbid a bug might land on us.
It's time to start a revolution. Go get that lawn chair (I'm sure you still have one in your garage somewhere) fix up a pitcher of iced tea and go outside. Sit on you lawn and enjoy the outdoors. the fresh air. Wave to the next car that drives by. Say howdy to the next person to walk by.
If we could only bring back neighborhoods some of the more personal problems we have may be solved or at least put into perspective.
Wouldn't that be nice!
posted by Rob | 8:42 PM
2 Comments:
Remember all the block parties we were part of with all our neighbors when we lived in Missouri?
I can't even imagine that happening here. The couple on the one side of us avoid eye contact and of course the people on the other side of us are never the same two weekends in a row since a big drilling company rents that house.
I'd drop dead before I'd borrow a cup of sugar from any of my "neighbors."
I hate it. You're right. It wasn't like this when we were growing up.
Great post! You must have stayed up pretty late after I went to bed last night. :-)
You are so right, Dad! I remember growing up in a small town, and there were always kids all over the street. All Krissy and I had to do was walk outside and we had plenty of friends to play with. And I never knew what was for dinner, because there was always some mom or grandma scooping up all visible kids to feed them burgers in the summer- when it wasn't our grandma doing it!
I have always wanted to move back to a small town, and now I realize why. Neighbors! You nailed it on the head!
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