In the last year I’ve talked with several people about the type of neighborhood I want to live in. I like the idea of living in a place where when new neighbors move in people go over to introduce themselves and bring them dinner. I like the idea of having neighborhood BBQs when the weather is nice.
So my wife and I have made it a point to do those things. We bring dinner over when we see a new neighbor move in, have BBQ in the circle during the summer, and invite neighbors over for dinner at our house from time to time. At a high level we make an effort to shape the type of neighborhood we live in. It isn’t always easy (and sometimes takes a fair bit of work), but it has always been worth it. In the coming year we are going to try and do more along the same lines, which seems to mostly involve sharing food with people who live around us. What can I say, I like to eat 🙂
As we start this new year of 2013 the idea I want to put out there is to shape the neighborhood you live in. Think about two or three specific things you wished your neighborhood did. Then make plans to take the lead and do them this year. Here are a few examples:
- Invite a neighbor over to eat dinner every three or four months
- Plan a neighborhood 4th of July party
- Shovel the snow off a neighbor’s drive way
- Make a Christmas cookie sample platter of home made treats and take them around to your neighbors during the holidays
Or make up one of your own. Make 2013 the year that you and your family put in an extra effort to positively shape the neighborhood you live in. We may not be able to solve all of the woes in the world in one year, but each of us can make our individual neighborhoods a bit friendlier, and that counts for something.