Neighbors

Originally uploaded by laundrylessons.

Blog – Neighbors

Usually I fold clothes Sunday night. But instead of creasing boxer shorts and whining about mismatched socks, I made burgers and strawberry shortcake and sat on the deck and enjoyed my delightful neighbors - a big improvement over laundry as a Sunday evening activity.

It all started Saturday when I was chatting with my neighbor across the street. We get together occasionally, but for as much as we like each other, we don’t get together enough.

“This day has been gorgeous!” I remarked.
“I know. We really need to appreciate days like these.”
“Hey, why don’t you guys come over for burgers tomorrow night. It seems like a waste not to get together on nights like these.”
“You are so right. You know, we don’t have anything going on.”

And as easy as that I gave up laundry and called some other neighbors and had a party. Not a big make-a-fuss-plan-for-a-couple-weeks party. Just casual, with kids and barking dogs, and beers and watermelon and burgers, party. The kind of evening that makes kids grow up and say, “We had good times with our neighbors.” And adults think, “Hey, we live in a pretty nice place.”

We get wrapped up in our own stuff and we forget there are families and grandmas and lonely people living less than twenty yards from us. But, when we overlook our plans and agendas and laundry and just sit and enjoy neighbors, then community can invade our private lives. Sharing the events that shape us with the people living closest seems very natural, but we’ve stepped so far away from the front porch days. Oprah redecorated her neighbors’ balconies as a gesture to show she cared (or maybe the ugly balconies bothered her!). Burgers and shortcake may not be a $500 Lowes gift card, but by the time everyone left, we were refreshed with laughter and food and made promises to do it again soon, and the kids dropped into bed without a peep. Nothing can beat that.

P.S. Stop back on Wednesday…I’m starting a new feature! Kathy