Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
photo credit: maryamgerling
I read a newspaper article a few months ago about how some neighborhoods are going back to the old fashioned way of having block parties, getting to know each other, spending time together as families and reclaiming their streets as their own. It doesn’t have anything to do with being vigilantes or Crime Watch. It’s more to do with being friends with the people you live near.
What is happening here in Florida is that more homes are for sale or foreclosure and more people are moving away. We are now becoming even more of a transient state than before. We have been the types to come home, drive our cars into our garages, close the door and then go inside, closing out our neighbors. But with people leaving left and right it’s becoming more of a closed door policy for many of us.
The article I read, reported about neighbors doing just the opposite in order to stay connected and to help out too. They began with a small outdoor party so no one felt like they had to open up their homes to “strangers”. Then slowly, the adults had more get togethers, the children played with each other, people looked forward to coming home and seeing whose house was holding the pot luck dinner and behold, they were neighbors again.
I long for this. I grew up with this. We all knew each other and felt safe and secure outdoors. We had fun together and when someone was sick or needed help, we pulled together. We didn’t have garages, we parked in driveways, under carports or in the street. But we didn’t go inside right away. The adults chatted, the kids played and we felt like a group united.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:23 am
What a great idea. My neighbor told me about http://www.rottenneighbor.com shows what kind of area I am in. Actualy my neighborhood (Echo Park in Los Angeles) was rated a month ago to be in top ten neighborhoods in the US by American Planning Association (APA)
Bonnie Sayerss last blog post..Allstate Your Choice Auto
November 12th, 2008 at 5:25 am
can’t agree with you more — have lived in my neighbourhood for 20 years now and just this summer actually talked to my neighbour across the street for the first time.
Have landed here from Commentluv contest registrants. Have been finding there are blogs I never would have visited if not for Commentluv. Good luck in the contests.
Larrys last blog post..A day to reflect
November 12th, 2008 at 9:33 am
I wish for this so badly in our neighborhood. Ours is a nice neighborhood - no one is nasty or mean or anything like that. But no one is particularly friendly, except for a few. I can’t imagine a block party in our neighborhood - in fact, most days, I wonder if I live in an abandoned neighborhood as no one is outside or waving or talking or anything.
I’m a social creature … I would love to have these types of gatherings every once in awhile.
Andrea (Creative Junkie)s last blog post..No, Nate does not answer to the name Rudolph
November 12th, 2008 at 10:32 am
You have an award waiting for you at http://doresdiaries.blogspot.com
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November 12th, 2008 at 11:05 am
I too grew up with this and we’re (the ladies in my culde-sac) are trying to bring this back. It’s definitely not like it used to be.
November 12th, 2008 at 11:09 am
What? You don’t have hurricane parties? We do, and we are very north of you.
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November 12th, 2008 at 11:41 am
We’ve done this on our street. We haven’t made it an annual event yet, but things here and there. I love that my kids have friends up the street that they can go play with. It can all start with just two families.
Paula, Stuff 2b Organizeds last blog post..Clutter-Free Gift Ideas: Donations
November 12th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I really wish our street would do this. We live in a nice little cul-de-sac but most of the families don’t have children or have older children so we have very little in common with them. Most everyone comes and goes without so much as a “wave hello” to one another. I would love to move to a different neighborhood that has more younger children but with the economy the way it is, I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
Helenes last blog post..My little mini-me…but a director, she ain’t!
November 12th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
We moved here for the house, but the real blessing has been the neighborhood. Ours IS like this. It’s great. We’ve been here 16 years now.
November 12th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
We are trying to do this, a little at a time. We as adult try to take the kids all outside to play at the same time, so the adults can visit and get to know one another, while the children play. It’s hard, with all the different schedules, but it’s been nice.
A party would be a great idea! Wonder if they’d go for it?
Spookygirls last blog post..I should probably do more for Veteran’s Day..
November 12th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I miss this street parties too. I grew up in such an environment but they don’t do that in Singapore nor in Holland where we used to live.
Jades last blog post..Raising Cacai’s Fund
November 12th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Bonnie, how lucky you are to live in a top neighborhood!
November 12th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Hi Larry, Glad that you came here from Comment Luv contest. I have to write a post about that soon. Isn’t it weird how we hibernate in our homes? We really need to get out more!
November 12th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
I’m with you on that Andrea. I’d love to have more friendliness where I live.
November 12th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
No Farrah it’s not like it used to be. I’m hoping that little by little, we can do something to change it, maybe!
November 12th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
withcypoo, Now I know why you have hurricane parties! Here in Florida we’re too scared to have them
At least I and my family are.
November 12th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Paula, great idea! Just starting with 2 families can spread the niceness. Is that a word?
November 12th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
It is horrible when people can’t even say hello to each other, Helene.
November 12th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Barb, you really are blessed!
November 12th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Spookygirl, you’re on the right track. So having a party should be an easy next step don’t you think?
November 12th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Jade, maybe if we all blog about them we can get street parties started again!
November 12th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
What a terrific idea! What is this comment love thing? Hurry and write that post. LOL
November 12th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
I will do a post soon, promise!