Monday, January 10, 2011

Being Neighborly

Growing up - at least, the growing up I can mostly remember - in Casper, I lived on Meadowlark Drive in Meadowlark Hills. 3531 Meadowlark Drive, as a matter of fact.

It's been nearly 25 years since I've lived there and, even now, I could take you down that street and tell you about nearly every family that lived in each one of the manufactured homes along it. Who was the Girl Scout leader, who had a son in Worland (the state run boys home for juvenile delinquents), who had adopted children, who was divorced...not many back then.

That's saying something.

Unfortunately, times have changed. It's been an awfully long time since I've not only known every neighbor along my street or in my building but known ANY neighbor...at least beyond just sight.

Until now.

Lex and I found this building because of devowasright...someone I've known since the days of Meadowlark Hills (he didn't live in Meadowlark Hills but, you know, that's beside the point). We'd been out looking for likely places to live and happened upon devowasright who told us he'd seen the "For Rent" sign on our building...a building of which he was most familiar having spent a lot of time here with his ex-girlfriend who lived here at one time and having recommended it to some friends of his - modchen and Lux.

We inquired, we took a look see, we filled out the necessary applications and paid deposits, and then we moved in. But it wasn't until probably a year ago that we really started to get to know our neighbors. Sad really. All things considered.

In the last year, we've celebrated holidays with each other, collected each others' mail, looked in on one anothers' cats. I've delivered baked goods just because. They've made me soup when I was sick. Lux, just tonight, came down to ask to "borrow" a pot of coffee (or, at least, the grounds for one). I gave it to him happily.

That's what being neighborly is all about. Spending a little time together, watching out for each other, taking care of each other, lending and giving as necessary.

And every time I think about moving I think, "But I don't want to leave Lux and modchen!"

Because I love having neighbors that I know, that I trust, that I LIKE.

It's rare...nowadays. Right?

We are lucky to know them. It reminds me of how it used to be, how it should be, how I want it to be always. Having people close by who you can count on and who can count on you.

Cheers! Neighbor.

1 comment:

bete-noire said...

hey awright!

it's nice to be part of a little little community. or at least feel like one is. ^_^