Are you a good neighbor?
When our first child, Amelie, started her little preschool as a 5 month old, I noticed a teacher that always seemed aloof, not too friendly, and definitely not some one I was excited to care for my baby! I remember thinking how glad I was that I wasn’t leaving her with that teacher. Then along came our second, Holden. As I went to meet his teachers for the first time, there she was! Come to find out her seeming aloofness is due to the fact that she can hardly hear! She is the sweetest lady in the world, has more love for the children that you can imagine, and has more energy than 5 teachers combined (did I mention she is 76?!)
How many times do we judge people before we know their stories? I think we especially do that with our neighbors. These are sometimes the casual acquaintances in our lives that get a wave from the driveway but not much more. Or, they are the folks who watch our kids in the afternoons or leave their recycling bins out too long. Or maybe they are seemingly just a house with the wrong political sign in the front yard.
When Joe and I help some one purchase a home, we are acutely aware that we are not only helping some one move into a house they will enjoy but into a neighborhood, a community, a network of people. How can we become more a part of our communities? Here are some ideas:
· Volunteer in the upcoming “It’s my park!” day http://www.austinparks.org/itsmypark.html
· Think you have a grumpy neighbor? Do something for them on their terms (you want to bring them cookies, but maybe they have diabetes… find a true way to serve them). Find out their story and maybe they won’t be so grumpy after all!
· Put their garbage can back for them
· Make an extra batch of dinner and drop it off
· Mentor a child in a local school or volunteer in the local school (even if you don’t have kids or your kids go to private school)
· Buy those Girl Scout cookies with the door knocks!
My next-door neighbors must have keys to our entire block! They are the neighborhood caretakers, which is a good thing because there are many widows on our block. We are starting to volunteer in our local middle school, and I feel like we are finally investing in our little patch of Austin. Respond to this blog and let me know what you are doing in your neighborhoods, so I can spread the word!
Love it! Thanks for this post. One thing we are doing in Brentwood is monthly visiting a retirement home in our neighborhood. We brought valentine’s last month and are now begiining to work with the activities director to plan monthly events. Some ideas are manicures for the ladies, painting and updating some rooms, staff appreciation day, etc. Love this post….thanks!
Comment by Nate — February 25, 2009 @ 6:45 am
Jessica,
Last week we visited a retirement center in our neighborhood that needs some attention. Meaning, the people there need to be loved on and the workers need to feel appreciated. Our city group took Valentine’s cards up to all of the residents and some of us sang songs with them but for the most part, we just loved on them and got to know them. We are going to do this monthly and thought that it might be nice to plan events for the residents…maybe paint some rooms that need to be painted…take dinner to the staff…clean and spruce up the breakroom…organize supply rooms, etc. Basically just meet their needs, however they need to be met. We thought this was a good way to reach out to our neighborhood!
Comment by Melissa Navarro — February 25, 2009 @ 7:41 am
We recently moved (thank you JH Residential!) and at our previous home, we really enjoyed our neighbors. For Mother’s Day, I bought Tulips and gave them to three of our “mommy” neighbors. We also hosted a block party and invited the entire street. That party generated lasting, neighborly friendships throughout our street. We would watch each other’s home while out-of-town and we hosted dinner parties, too. We still keep in touch with our friends on B-wick drive. Being neighborly is cool and often rewarding.
Comment by Kim — February 25, 2009 @ 4:01 pm
Hey, yeah, I totally think it’s so crucial to be good neighbors. Robin and I found that simply taking a walk around the neighborhood will really increase your relationships and your life. There have been a couple of spontaneous dinners that have resulted in late afternoon strolls. That is what makes living in a neighborhood in Austin, or anywhere, a special thing.
Comment by Billy Hollis — March 3, 2009 @ 12:17 pm
A memory comes to mind when I think of neighbors. I remember while growing up my mom needed a couple eggs to finish a dish she was making and she had me go ask our next door neighbor so my mom wouldn’t have to run to the store…I witnessed this exchange often but, have yet to experience it in my life at the present. I would like to bring back those days so they won’t remain just a memory from the past but rather a way of my life in the present. I think we all long for that type of simple, basic, life sharing living. I appreciate your exhortation Jess!
Comment by Johanna — March 4, 2009 @ 2:01 pm
Many individual neighbors need help in many ways, but formal volunteer programs often only target certain identified needs of large groups of people.
I developed neighborlibrary.com to connect neighbors who have needs with neighbors who offer to help. This is done through anonymous postings that show the distance between the person offering and needing help, while not disclosing addresses. Might this be of benefit in your community? It’s free, and I developed it to help people. One way to get it started there is to put in lots of postings of help that is needed. One could start with needs identified by local churches or nursing homes, and then expand as individual know that they can privately express their needs. Once there are a lot of postings showing need, local media can let people know that this is a central place to look for opportunities to volunteer to help true neighbors, without committing many hours to a formal program.
The site can be used for neighbors borrowing things from one another, rather than having to go out and buy everything, duplicating seldom-used but necessary items.
Hope this helps. Please feel free to get in touch!
Comment by John Anderson — May 11, 2009 @ 9:52 am