Mondays Matter: Week 36

Taken from the book Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways To Make A Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza

BE NEIGHBORLY

-The average dual-career couple works away from their home a combined 18.2 hours/day.

-People spend less than 15 minutes/day doing outside chores and gardening compared to over 3 hours watching TV or movies and surfing the internet.

-The average person or family has friends over for dinner about 45% less often than they did in the 70's.

-In 1926, the first electric automated garage door opener was invented by C.G. Johnson beginning the drive-in-and-shut-the-door method of entering your home.

-The increased number of fenced backyards, coupled with the disappearance of front proches and verandas, has privatized residences more than ever.

ACTION STEPS

1. Meet a neighbor you have never met before. Simply knock on the door and introduce yourself. Take some produce from your garden or something you have baked, or invite them over for a beverage and a snack.

2. Make yourself more available and approachable to your neighbors.

3. Mow your lawn, wash your car, go for a walk, or play with your children outside, and if you see your neighbors doing the same...go outside and visit.

4. Plan a neighborhood yard sale or block party.

5. Write a quarterly neighborhood newsletter.

I know that we are fortunate to live in a very small town, around 700 people. So, we know every one of our neighbors and you can frequently find us standing in someone's driving sharing stories and swapping garden produce or beverages! My neighbors call me if they need sugar, I call them if I need someone to watch my kids for a few minutes. We have "Porch Fridays" with snacks and beverages and the kids all play in the backyards. We have town-wide garage sales, town-wide celebrations, school events, etc. I am so proud to live where we do and I just love all of our neighbors.

Does your mailman know your neighbors better than you do? Change your daily routine, just walk out your front door, visit with your neighbor. Remember, you have to be a good neighbor to have a good neighbor!