We moved into our house in December, and as the weather has warmed and we've spent more time outside, neighbors have stopped and introduced themselves. We're on a waving basis with most of them, and a conversational first-name with others. I struggle with living as an adult in a neighborhood -- my desire to be anonymous, mixed with the question of how folks will respond to what we do, paired with really wanting to be good neighbors and part of the community. Some of our parishioners live in the area, and are friends with folks on the block, so many already knew all about us.
The woman who lives next door is maybe in her 70s, a widow with familiy nearby who are involved, and spunky and quirky. She loves our dog, appreciates the clean-up we've done to the side of our property that she sees, and will occasionally come over if she see me out.
Tonight was one of those warm, summery nights. I was away the first part of the week at camp, and now my colleague-in-everything is taking the second half of the week. After dinner (eggs for me, crackers for the boy), we started out on a walk ("a stroller 'venture"), and headed past her house along one of our regular routes. She called hello to us from the window, and then asked if she could join us on our walk, and she did, pointing out homes where she knew stories and calling out to folks who were outside. "My daughter dated their son," she'd say. Or, "my grandson stood up in their daughter's wedding."
While part of me had wanted to walk alone, chattering about to my son, her joining us was perfect.
5 comments:
oh yeah... neighbors!
Knowing you like to be tagged there is a "5 things about Jesus" thingy going around. My linkage abilities have goen ka-put. So you are tagged.... you can either play, go for another walk, or have a cool drink & call it a day! Either way I'm good.
Sounds like you struggle with the same pull I do...liking to be with people TO A POINT and then wanting to be by oneself. I call it going to my hidey hole. Sometimes I've thought that if it weren't for the kid's school activities (in the past, since I am an empty nester now) I wouldn't have had any social life at all, except for my church.
It is the blessing and curse of introversion. I can gladly be alone, which is the blessing. But being with people gets maxed out easily. I struggle with this.
My husband's struggle is the oposite. He is extremely introverted; he knows that he needs to be alone, but he works with people all day long, so he heads for the hidey hole as soon as work is done.
Our home is away from the road, giving us privacy. For our pastors, well, they have been blessed with a parsonage in town, but on a private road, so people don't just cruise past.
Your neighboorhood sounds really nice, and your walk sounds lovely.
I'm not sure why I'm surprised, but I am, that even after you're Official, you can still be nervous about how people react to your vocation. I think I'd been working under the delusion that it would feel more comfortable by then.
Good for you for opening your walk to her. But not as a 'ministry' simply as a neighbor.
I envy you the neighborhood.
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