Did you know that today is Good Neighbor Day? In 1978, President Jimmy Carter established September 28th as National Good Neighbor Day in order to encourage Americans to establish stronger ties in their communities Of course, we shouldn’t wait for one day a year to be a good neighbor, but it’s nice to have a reminder. The old saying goes “Good fences make good neighbors,” but I believe it is good neighbors that make strong communities.
I am lucky to have some terrific neighbors. On one side, there is a family of five. We moved in to the neighborhood a few days apart. Our families were smaller then and our children grew up next door to each other. When their lives got so busy that their dog was sometimes lonely, we walked him, fed him, and grew to love him. When I was hugely pregnant, they would bring in the trash and recycling bins for me. When we go out of town, we keep on eye on things for each other.
On my other side, I have equally cool neighbors. I met them during an emergency one day when my two-year-old locked me out of the house. They let me use their phone to call for help. I take them tomatoes from my garden and drop off Christmas fudge in December. They have fun parties, with great music, but they never keep it going too late.
Sometimes our neighbors live very different lives than we do. Perhaps they come from another county (mine are Scottish and Romanian), have a different culture, or worship differently than we do. Regardless of life circumstances, I truly believe that human beings all want, deep down, the same basic things: respect, compassion, safety and security, freedom, friendship, and family. Strong communities provide the best place for these things to flourish. Good neighbors build strong communities.
Where do we start? At home, of course. Mother Teresa taught, “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you.” Practice being a good neighbor to your family, to your immediate neighbors, to your neighborhood, to your coworkers, to your fellow commuters, and to your classmates. If they are near you, they are your neighbor. It doesn’t really matter if they live next door or not. Neighbors don’t have to live next to you. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, we are taught that being a neighbor requires service and care. We can be a good neighbor to a stranger at the grocery store. We can stop and help someone in need that we will never see again.
How to Be a Good Neighbor
Here are a few things you can do today to be a good neighbor. And since it’s Good Neighbor Day, don’t you think it’d be a great day to try some of these things out?
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Get to know your neighbors
Have their phone number or email. You never know when you or they might have an emergency. I once caught a mail thief stealing from my neighbor’s box and called immediately to let her know. They caught the thief a few hours later with one of her checks that had been washed and refilled for thousands of dollars. She had notified the bank and they were looking for it.
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Follow community rules
If you have a party, remember the local noise ordinances and don’t keep your neighbors awake. If you live near a park, follow the posted hours of use. Keep your yard and home in good repair. Basically, be a good neighbor yourself. It’s called consideration for others. It makes the neighborhood a friendly, happier place. It’ll also keep the home owner’s association off your back!
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Stop and help
I once had a clogged drain during a severe rain storm. My yard was filling up quickly and the water was a few inches from entering my back door. Many of my neighbors drove by as I struggled to clear the drain in the pouring rain. One neighbor stopped and helped. He is a great neighbor and I have never forgotten his service to me. Years later I opened my front door and a cute little dog walked in like he owned the place. He looked familiar, but he had no collar or tag. I took him in to the shelter to check for a microchip. He belonged to my helpful neighbor and I was able to return him to his home. It doesn’t always take a lot of time, but it does take treating others like you’d want to be treated.
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Volunteer in your community
There are so many ways to help out. I have used a great website (https://www.justserve.org/) to to find volunteer opportunities. It also allows organizations who need volunteers to post their activities. Check with your local town hall or chamber of commerce, local schools, and places of worship. Working side by side with other people in your community is one of the best ways to make new friends, strengthen our society, and improve the lives of so many people.
It doesn’t take much to be a good neighbor. Set a good example for others to follow, especially our children. It’ll make our world a better place and that benefits everyone.
Thanks for reading and please share!
