Do You Know Your Neighbors?


This morning as I was scanning through my FB page, I saw a posting from a friend who was stating how she didn’t feel as safe sitting on her front porch with her coffee as she used to feel.

After visiting FB I went to my emails and I always check my spam box and found another claim wanting you to purchase something I am sure. The claim was, Is your neighbor a criminal?

At first I giggled to myself and then I began to ponder on life’s changes that stood out at me right away. I can remember my dad not locking the garage door and a lot of times he and mom didn’t lock their vehicle doors. I never asked or checked, but was the front and back door locked at bedtime?

Today, even when I am home and it is broad daylight; my doors are locked. Why is this? What has happened? More people moving into neighborhoods, less welcome to your new home parties. I don’t believe nearly as many of us know our neighbors today as we did, 25 years ago. We just don’t take or make the time it seems. When was the last time a neighbor brought over a freshly baked cake when you moved into your new place?

In fact, today that doesn’t happen too often and instead of smiling and being thankful, there are some who may grow suspicious of this welcome action, ponder on the ingredients that are in that cake. Maybe we would take the cake and say a thank-you before shutting the door. Maybe we would then toss it in the trash, or possibly trust on the fact there are still many good people in the world, and eat a slice of it.

I remember when I was little, mom would take us to the store. She needed 1 or 2 items. She would tell us, ” I will only be a minute, don’t fight and sit still”. My mom was a good mom, and us kids thought nothing of it. Can we do that today? Absolutely not! The weirdos that walk the streets, that try to steal our babies right out from under our noses for their own sick satisfaction have made us much more aware of our surroundings. Even for 1 or 2 items, we take our kids with us.

Life has certainly changed. Now you can get an app where you can discover how close a child molester lives to you. Even though it was spam email, I bet you can find out for a price if your neighbor is or was a criminal.

What happened? I don’t know. My simple mind still says we have many more people living in our small neighborhoods, expanding them to the fullest. There are several issues that can be included, which I won’t go into at this point, because it would make this post much longer.

What about your neighborhood? Do you know your neighbors? Do you feel safe day and night?

 

Thoughts For Today


I turned away from placing my Dumbo ears to the TV news each day. It wasn’t because it scared me so much, although that is a partial reason, but it is depressing to me. With my healing process of losing my brother; I don’t need any extra depression in my life.

The days of the hippie, free and caring, the world is a pretty place, flowers in our hair, pot everywhere are gone. I am not saying I experienced any or all of this but I do remember thinking the world is round. The world is full of possibilities; the world is full of love.

I don’t think it is totally a fact that my age has changed my views on those hippie days, but more a realization that the world is not all about flowers; but it is all about love.

As I read the postings on Facebook, or even play with Google search, highlights show over and over our world still has happy moments; but is crumbling around us. Fighting among countries, families being separated, children raising themselves, murder is as easy as pulling the trigger.

This country was built and stood on our love for God, our neighbors, and looking out for each other. This part of our world is being tarnished by the evil in our world. Today it is more about survival, hurt those who hurt us, take from others what we think we deserve.

What do we deserve? Do we have the right to call each day our own? Do we dare count on tomorrow? In my opinion, no, we do not. We are not our own boss, God is our teacher. He is our leader, the all-knowing. He knows which minute is our last. He knows the errors of our ways. He knows our heart.

I can not even say today what I used to say, which was; with enough people gathering together we can make the world a better place. Why? because I am not sure it is supposed to be a better place. Many people believe the world is coming to a point where Jesus will come back. I also believe this but have no knowledge of when.

Although I am smart enough to know from reading Revelations that many verses state what we are living today, we as believers of God must pray not that the world will get better; but that all shall have the opportunity to make that most valuable choice of walking with God or not.

We must be thankful for each day we are given. We should pray a huge thank-you for each gift we are given. We are not in charge of our days, but we can help by pulling together, helping others and loving all, period. We can be a huge marble of support for each other.

Yesterday, Ute, a blogging friend of mine gave me an idea and I actually loved it. There is much confusion we live with today, but I do remember clearly when I was a child going to the giant swings at the park. I remember how free I felt swinging as high as I could. I remember feeling the breeze going through my hair, laughing and giggling while mom and dad pushed me. I am going to go do this. I am going to get some of that free feeling of being a kid again, while the grown-up part of me keeps an eye on my reasons for existence and I prepare for what is to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hippie-Bug