I was brought up with a feeling that I belonged where ever I lived. I mean I knew everyone within 6 blocks in either direction and people knew me within 20 blocks of either direction. I was always out and about, walking, running and riding my bike. I used to hike to the local ice cream store with my wife and 3 kids all the time
I KNOW YOU
We were known and we knew everyone. I didn't live in a house. I lived in a home thanks to my wife. My neighbors were real live people who I knew all their names, what they did, and who we would exchange various things with over the years. I would borrow things and return them all the time.
WHAT PRICE DO YOU PUT ON A GOOD NEIGHBOR?
I had a neighbor who would make homemade tamales that were as big as footballs. She would spend the whole day starting from 7:00 a.m. cooking everything and at about 7:00 p.m be finished having tons of the the stuff. Why? She would give them out as "I am glad you are my neighbor gifts". She had to wrap them with string and I remember carrying mine home and they were heavy. One of these filled you up for the day
EVERYONE SHARES WHAT THEY HAVE
I had another neighbor who let me drive his car and used to let me smoke his cigarettes. We would sit on his back porch and he would serve up a secret recipe turnip stew known only to people who were brought up in the Ozarks. Next thing I know, 3 hours went by. Lovely evening spent
THE VALUE OF MANY BEING ONE
All the time I was growing up until now, I always managed to live in areas were you go outside and you interact with the neighborhood and community. The value of us all living together cannot be understated. Now, they have gated communities that practice my point. People who live in privileged areas too. But for the homes at large, crime, graffiti and mischief have crept in and we, the family have crept in too...back into our homes.
THE INTERNET AS THE FRONT PORCH?
One of my sincere desires for the world at large is to see people coming together physically who live next to each other more often than not...Unfortunately, the Internet may interfere with that dream......thank you
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