Neighbors Make the World Go 'Round!

Recently, my daughter's next door neighbors, really the best neighbors ever, moved half-way across the country. They hadn't known them all that long, they actually just met a couple of years ago when she moved to Boston, and each day they learned more and more about each other and found they had so very many things in common. It wasn't long before they were the best of friends, hanging out together, looking out for each others pets, and were eventually in each others weddings. They couldn't have asked for better neighbors, and they'll be awfully hard to replace.

I must admit that I don't know too many people who know their neighbors very well. Oh, sure, we know some of their names; we wave and even invite each other to our parties, yet a little small talk here and there just doesn't make for a really good neighbor. Not, at least, compared to the way we knew our neighbors when I was a kid.

We lived in a very rural area and maybe it was more out of necessity that we knew everyone, or just that there weren't that many people around that it was easy to get to know them all. Whatever the reason, I really liked knowing who everybody was. We went to the same churches, the same schools, the same bank, gas station, and grocery store. It certainly wasn't very often that there was a stranger around, unless they were accompianied by someone we knew.

As kids, we loved to explore our neighborhood. When the weather was good, my brother and I would opt to walk to and from the one-room schoolhouse where kids attended kindergarden through eighth grade before going off to high school in town. Walking across the fields saved us about a mile and we usually got there without incident (except for the time it was so muddy in the spring thaw I walked right out of my boots in the plowed field - my brother, my hero, came back for me, carried me to the path and went back for my boots). If we decided to walk home after school too, we usually stopped at an elderly neighbor's home for a quick visit because she would always have cookies readily available, making the longer walk worth every extra step.

We knew all our neighbors (pretty much everyone who lived within 20 miles or so of us) and our parents always knew where we were because there were always a few busy-bodies who made it their business to let them know every time they saw us pass by. Not that there was much else other than the weather to discuss!

I remember when us kids wanted to get kittens. Dad loaded us all up into the car and drove down to see the elderly spinster sisters who lived together a few miles away. They had a barn full of what seemed like hundreds of cats that they looked after as if it were their career. They had them all named and knew which was which, even though many of them looked identical to us. After a nearly unbearable amount of chit-chat and refreshments, we each picked out a kitten and took them home to our barn, free of charge.

Back then, people didn't move so much. Most of our neighbors were the same from the time I was born until the day I graduated from high school. New people in the community were always welcomed in the most sociable way. Of course, it seems we had more time for each other back then too. The entire community would turn out for the high school football and basketball games, even if they didn't have a family member on the team. Granted, we didn't have much else to do around there, but I think it was kind of the "glue" that held everyone together.

Now that I'm a thousand miles away from home, I have FaceBook and Twitter and a cell phone with unlimited text and data just to keep in touch with everyone. But I don't. What would we talk about? I don't have a clue what's going on back there and don't really have time to keep up with it all. I'm afraid I've lost that mid-west charm that I love so much about everyone I grew up with, the "Minnesota Nice" that people out there are famous for. I'm not sure how to get it back but it's time I started paying more attention and trying a little harder. I don't want to end up being one of the lonely old people who talk to themselves because they don't know anybody who wants to listen to them anymore!

So, I'm going to start getting to know my neighbors, say "hi" to people and be friendly even when I don't have my makeup on yet while walking the dog. It will be fun to have a new challenge. Look out world, you are going to get to know me and I am going to get to know you, whether you like it or not!