Love thy neighbor

 

We've lived in our current house since last July and I'm ashamed to admit that I barely know our neighbors.  This whole neighbor thing is kind of new to me.  We've lived in various apartments and one house since we were married, but never really in real suburbia until now, you know the place where your kids are supposed to be best friends and you bring a covered casserole over? 

Well, I'm not sure if I'm at the "come over anytime" stage yet, but I am taking small steps.  I notice our culture is becoming less and less about the people around us and more just about the people we already know....you know how you get out your phone when you have to wait in line instead of making chit chat and looking at the faces around you? Guilty.  I'm not sure how valuable chit chat is, but there is something to be said about being present in our actual lives.  

 Most of our neighbors are quite a bit older than us and I'm sure they refer to us as "those young hooligans" because we leave our garbage can out a little longer (and our grass a little longer too!) and always seem to be rushing off somewhere.  But, I'm making an effort.  I made two kinds of cookies and boxed them up.  We're heading over after dinner to knock on their doors and give them some Christmas cheer.  I'm really relying on my three year old's charm to make the moment less awkward. 

Who knows, maybe next Christmas we'll be partying it up with these people?