Neighbors

I wrote a while back about the wealth as defined by one or two close, life long friends.  In thinking of friends, I also want to highlight the terrific and important value of good neighbors. 

Of course, there is one fundamental difference between neighbors and friends.  At least it appears to me that NORMALLY there is a fundamental difference, in that we choose our friends, though seldom choose our neighbors.  True, neighbors can become friends, but it doesn't seem that many of us chose a house because of those who live in the neighborhood.  So when we have good-to-great neighbors, that is another aspect of personal wealth.

Accordingly, we are truly blessed to have some great neighbors.  These are folks that are ready to lend a hand, folks with whom we can and do have chats on a variety of topics, folks with whom we've shared picnics and BBQs, folks who begin an exchange with a smile, folks who don't intrude, folks who are polite and respectful, folks who make it a great place to return to after a long day at work.  Separately and importantly, these are also folks who help look out for the well-being of the neighborhood.

In our current neighborhood, on the day we moved in, the neighbors from across the street came over to say "hello" and brought chocolate cookies - homemade cookies.  I've received calls from a neighbor who saw something that didn't look right at the house, enabling me to take corrective action with a commercial concern.  I've called a neighbor to report that I'd seen four unknown individuals enter their property through a little used side gate (ends up this situation was the brother and friends of the neighbor). 

When I had a flat tire, one of the neighbors came over with an air tank to help fill the tire, so I could get to a repair shop.  When out on a morning run, I've had a neighbor wave from his truck as he headed down the hill.  I've stood in the front yard and bemoaned the state of the nation with a neighbor.  I've drank beer and thrown horseshoes with a neighbor on the 4th of July!  Plus watched fireworks.  The examples are endless.

As retired military who spent several years living on military bases, I was accustomed to tight neighborhoods, replete with spontaneous BBQs.  I also recall the sense of family in many of the military housing areas in which we lived, sometimes overseas.  When tragedy struck, as it all too often does in the military, people were there for each other.  When slammed by an unbelievable winter storm, we checked on each other to ensure everything was all right.  However, until this neighborhood, I'd not encountered anything close to the same feeling in "civilian" neighborhoods. 

Great neighbors, like life long friends, are blessings.  Blessings for which we are thankful.