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Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Neighbors

On the first hot day this summer, I looked out the kitchen window and saw people walking on my lawn. Then I saw them walk down the driveway and through the back yard, and climb down the bank to the creek in back of our house. I went out to meet them, and  it turns they just bought the house down the block, on the other side of the street from the creek. They should have asked before walking on OUR property!
Last time we saw someone walking on our property, we were robbed the next week. You never know these days.
In Nepal, all the foot trails go through people's door yards, or their rice paddies, or the temple court. That's just the way to get from one place to another. Someone is always home, so you just call out that you're walking through. Someone on the porch, or in the kitchen will probably ask, "Where are you going?" just to be polite. They might know somebody there where you could stay, or maybe they need a letter carried over there. They might know a shortcut you didn't know about, or at the very least will tell you how long it takes to get there. They might even have some hot tea on the fire you could share with a snack.
Last night I watched Ever After. The king's guards rode their horses right through Danielle' orchard when they were looking for the runaway prince. It was expected. It was the way people kept in touch with their neighbors; maybe one of them had seen a prince.
When was the last time you talked to one of your neighbors? Or greeted on of them at the mail box? Or stopped to talk with someone when they were mowing the lawn, or walking the dog? When was the last time you had a block party? What if we're missing out on something really important?

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