When we moved into our house six years ago, one of our biggest questions was “what will our neighbors be like?” Since that time, we have come to know the people who share our street quite well and cannot be more thankful to now call them friends.
They don’t just share a cup of milk or an extra egg when in a pinch. No, they go above and beyond. My neighbors have removed a bat from inside my house. Helped pump water out of our basement. Let us borrow countless tools and appliances. Shared their vehicle. Watched my kids. Grocery shopped for us. Picked us up from the middle of a walk when a rainstorm popped up. Broken into our house when we were locked out. We’ve swapped clothing, shared meals, celebrated together, cried together and the list goes on and on.
I’m not exactly sure just how I would get through some of these trying times if it weren’t for my neighbors. We weren’t meant to do this parenting thing alone. They’re like an extension of our family. It’s almost as if we share an unspoken agreement to support one another, look out for each other help as needed, and just be there when their text or call comes through.
This relationship we’ve developed in the six short years in our home has strengthened my faith in humanity. To think that not long ago we didn’t know each other and now they are my first line of defense when we’re in need. We don’t have family nearby and my husband often works weekends and travels overnight. Our neighbors are a reassurance to my husband and I that someone always has our back.
Our neighbors’ children were among my kids’ first friends. If my kids see or hear them outdoors or vice versa, it’s a spontaneous front yard playdate. We’ve had impromptu family pizza parties in the backyard, shared countless sprinkler and plastic pool summer fun and commissioned too many scooter races to count.
Our neighbors are a big part of my family’s life and a huge part of my kids’ childhood. They’re a staple in the village that is helping develop, grow and nurture my children. I love the lessons my kids are learning by seeing people with such willing hearts love, support and serve our family.
It’s not lost on me just how special it is to have such incredible neighbors. I’d be lying if I said we shared a close relationship with everyone living in immediate proximity, but having a handful of people nearby who you know you can count on provides a very satisfying feeling. Our neighbors have impacted us in such a positive way that I’m motivated to be a better neighbor, friend and person myself.