Recently, we had a small discussion about Beatles and the role they played in our lives. It was interesting to see how different were the points of views. It raises the question of how can we find something in common at all?
But maybe this feeling of something common is just an illusion. We think we have it when nobody argues with us. But why does nobody argue? Because the topic is not important? Everybody has their own problems?
We live locked each in their own bubble, isolated, remote, communicating with each other only when we are forced by the circumstances or the sense of civility installed on us by our upbringing. I am still stunned with what’s going on in Russia and Ukraine. In my youth, while living there, I thought the sense of community was strong enough to keep us cooperating for the benefits of everybody. But look at this society now. Everybody is isolated. Well, except criminals and profiteers (are they the same people?). Where has all this sense of community gone? It was another illusion too.
And look what’s going on in the US now. It amazes me how people of opposite camps cannot find common ground, although declare the same goals. And not only on high political and business levels. We cannot find anything common in the neighborhood.
Pete in his comments about The Beatles talks about the need for more tolerance. Sure, we need that. But what about breaking the isolation? We can be tolerant and live each in their own castle without ever seeing each other.
In my 18 years in the neighborhood, I still have no idea what is the name of the people living across the street 60 feet from me. And I know only the first names of people on each side of me and have no idea about their family name, or their personal stories. Am I special and you have a different experience?
Nick, knowing your neighbors means a lot to me. The place we decide to raise our children needs to have similar values. We love our block because of the people. While the location got us here, the people made us stay. When my wife was pregnant with our first child, Allison and Dan Rimlin to the north were ALSO pregnant with their second, Audrey. At the same, our neighbors to the south, the Keplers, were having THEIR first child. Yes, 3 houses in a row. Two years later and pregnant again, We were now the northern most pregnant family, with the Keplers, and Mike and Elizabeth pregnant with THEIR second…. Yes, all 3 houses preganant in a row again.
Coming home after work during the summer, everyone is outside on the lawn drinking wine and socializing. My kids use the ‘fairy’ door we created in the backyard, allowing 2 sets of best friends to go from home to home using a door we built into the fence.
Susan across the street had medical issues and was carrying oxygen. I brushed the snow and shovelled her walkway for a year or so with the help of other neighbors.
Handyman Jim always has his truck lit on the street at Christmas with a snowman and Ms. Clause inside! He stretches a long extension cord out to the street. This year, charlie Brown made an appearance.
Allison and Dan may moved, but Jason and Kirsten, an interesting couple with lovely twins moved in. With a little help from us, their kids now go to the same school as my girls… 100 ft to the end of the block at Lincoln Elementry. The fall festival every year is enjoyed and shared by everyone in the neighborhood. Kirsten is going through brain cancer… the same cancer as John McKane. She approached me the other day walking back from taking the girls to school about making a video for her kids. ONe where she talks into the camera and attempts to leave them some lasting memory, as her kids are only 4 yrs old, and will likely not remember much else. How could I turn such a thing down?
My mother-in-law is across the street on the corner. My own mom, before she died, was down on the other corner… same block. THAT was tough, but in the end, a blessing.
Some good people have moved away since these times. My girls still have their best friend’s next door, but things are changing. And with my oldest graduating into middle school, Karen and I are seriously considering a change. Will we stay in Colorado? Dunno. But wherever we go, we’ll be sure to bring our sense of community with us.
Thanks Nick!
:b
We have a new family in our cul de sac that I have not met yet. They have been there for a year. Everyone else I know pretty well. The sad thing is, I am bad with names, even with people that I have talked with multiple times. Once I write down someone’s name I am pretty good with it. Where am I going with this rambling name thing? Anytime I forget a neighbor’s name I go to the County’s website and do a property search. Sad but true.
BTW, I am an optimist most of the time. The kids and I had a discussion this past weekend about how good/bad the world is right now. I almost always argue for the positive side. One of the things I encourage them to do is challenge assertions. (This can become frustrating sometimes, because they challenge many of my points of view 🙂 ). I subscribe to both the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times in order to see things from both the liberal and conservative view points.
I’ll cut this short. Here is a column from Sunday’s NYT that I really liked: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/06/opinion/sunday/2017-progress-illiteracy-poverty.html
James