While listening to the radio, I heard an advertisement for a security alarm system. It was well done. As the intruder attempted to enter the premises a shrill alarm went off and you could hear the foot steps of the intruder retreating. My next random thought found myself evaluating my abode and its' contents, and the amount of time that I'm away. "Wow", I thought, "maybe I should look into this for myself." I filed the data in my left brain, the analytical part of my brain... (I also know that because I am right-handed I am never in my right mind)

        Interesting and unexplainable things happen when I use my mental filing cabinet. (... why is it, that the  brain is often the last organ of resort?) The sub-conscience always works over time. It pulled up a file on  motivation and selling. The file stated that there are just two (2) basic emotions that motivate just about  everything we do:

• DESIRE of GAIN
• FEAR of LOSS

       After a careful analysis, I realized the radio commercial had pushed my buttons. It created fear... fear that  I could be burglarized, and fear that I could lose the things that I have acquired due to my desire to gain. My  initial reaction was unconscious... void of original thought - I need to get an alarm system!

      Once I logically understood where this fear was coming from, I asked myself, how did we (as a society)  handle this situation before security alarms were invented? The only answer I could come up with was "a sense  of Neighborhood"

      When one knows the people that live around them, a connection is created. That connection we know as  "neighbor". We share a common ground with our neighbors. Sometimes that ground is deep... similar life  experiences, common goals, and so forth; and sometimes the common ground is just the same block.  Regardless of how the connection is made it ties us together and gives us a common identity we call a  neighborhood.

      There was a time we knew all our neighbors. We knew that the people across the street both worked so we  kept an eye open, not to be nosy, but to be watchful. We would knock on the door of the old man who lived  alone if we hadn't seen him for a few days, just to make sure things were alright. And we bandage a childs' boo-boo and dried their tears with a treat from the kitchen. This is what made neighborhood.

      Today, for a myriad of reasons, we have lost sight of this connection. We are just to busy doing what we  do. So advertisers scare us. And security alarm systems make sense. 

      I have an idea. Today, smile at a neighbor... (preferable one you don't know) wave hello to the  people across the street... say Hi, to someone as you walk past each other. I have found it makes me feel  good, and sometimes I get an answer. I'm all for feeling good. And I think those who respond feel good too.  Maybe we can start an epidemic.