Good Neighbors

You don't have to watch much TV, or surf the internet for very long to see how poorly many people treat each other.  It's a sad shame to see what we are doing to ourselves.  

It doesn't have to be this way.

We have great neighbors.  Some have kids who come over and fill our backyard with the sound of laughter.  Others pay me with Jack Daniels for clearing snow off of their driveway. Others have pizza with us just to hang out.  We have school teachers, police officers, and nurses.

Our next door neighbors have become especially good friends.  Because we watched the famous Tessa Bear when they went away, they let us inherit their wooden outdoor play set. All we had to do was move it from their yard to ours.  Easier said than done since the thing weighs about 600 pounds.  Every time we worked on bringing parts of it over, they came out and lent us a hand.  Before long there are dogs running around, kids running around, and lots of laughing and kidding around.

Tonight was no exception.  At one point the adults were pondering the next mechanical engineering move, while the kids swam and jumped on the trampoline.  Another neighbor came to see what was going on and soon he was sucked into joining the brain trust. Eventually we got it moved over, and nobody lost any body parts.  

No more than an hour later, they called over to us needing some fans because they got water in the basement from the air conditioner unit.  We gathered some up and ran them over to them right away.  

As I walked back to the house it was now dark, and I soaked in the quiet.  In a way I could still hear the echos from the kids.  It was comforting to know that these people are all right around us, ready to share a laugh, or to help when called upon.  

I stopped for just a moment and pondered what the world would be like if everyone treated each other this way.  Imagine the comfort of knowing that people around you had your best interest at heart.  Imagine if kids just gathered, like being drawn together by nature.  Imagine if you could laugh together, and sometimes cry together because you understand each other.  Imagine if you felt safe and accepted for who you are.

Somehow, some way, we have to be better "neighbors" to one another in this world.  We have to return to a society that believes life is much better when everyone works together. 

Be well and God bless.    Tom