PASS IT ON
image courtesy of photo bucket.com
It may have been like that in Mr. Rogers neighborhood, but not one of our neighbors when I was a kid wore sweaters with ties… In our old neighborhood ties were for marryin’ and buryin’.
Neighbors and neighborhoods are a peculiar affair in our modern world. Who we end up living with around us, and especially right next door, is like playing the lottery or spin the bottle. We’ve been extremely fortunate or blessed with our neighbors over the years and numerous moves, but that’s not always the case.
When I was a kid, our mom and dad’s best friends had a modern day Hatfield’s and McCoy’s type of feud with their next door neighbors. Our parents’ friends lived in the fanciest section of our little town with the perfect cliche name, “Bel-Air Estates”, but that didn’t make it perfect.
They and their next door neighbors couldn’t agree on whose side of the property line the block fence separating them landed on. That was just the fuel to flame their down right disdain for one another’s families.
That family feud finally manifested itself in a good ole fashioned fist-tuh-cuffs that earned my dad’s friend a black eye. It didn’t take long to figure out that there is no such thing as the perfect next door neighbors… since none of us are perfect… but I’ve also learned that you can come pretty close.
Occasionally in life we have crazy opportunities that we’d never even dream of drop into our laps. Our oldest daughter and her husband live in our neighborhood, down and around the block from us. They live on a corner lot so they increased their chances of getting a good next door neighbor by about fifty percent.
The couple next door to them have lived in their home since 1989. During that time the home where the newlyweds now live was occupied by the sister of the lady who lives next door to them. For sisters who not only love one another but like each other as well, that has to be a once in a lifetime gift.
Time marches on and the inevitable happens in life; change… The neighbor’s sister and husband had to move on and then sometime later the couple that lived next door to our kin, time caught up with. It’s time for them to move on as well, rumor is into their daughter’s house who’ll help look out after them in coming years.
The elderly couple that live next door to the kids had three offers the first day their home was on the market. The fact that one of those offers was from the new bride next door’s younger sister was all she needed to pass the baton and gift to our girls. The next generation of sisters live side by side now.
There are no coincidences in life. Hills and valleys, ups and downs. When a Divinely appointed gift falls in place we just need to be thankful for each day we get to share and enjoy it… Then when it’s time… pass it on…
Monday, September 21, 2015 @ 2:16 am
Having family down the street is either one of life’s greatest blessings or curses, for just it’s a huge blessing to have my wife’s parents a 10 min walk from our house.
Monday, September 21, 2015 @ 3:37 am
You are blessed to live so close to family. Our oldest was 6 hours away at one point. She now lives with us as she transitions to another job. Our youngest lives 4 hours away and I see no change in that any time soon (unless it is us moving closer). Blessed indeed my friend.
Monday, September 21, 2015 @ 4:17 am
This one has my name all over it 🙂 My Father-in-law subdivided his 120 acre farm about 20 years ago and gifted a lot to each of four children and 13 grandchildren. Each of the four children already lived on lots next to the farmhouse…except for the black sheep (us!). We were the only ones of the “kids” to ever move away. None of the grandkids live there and most couldn’t afford the taxes. Anyway, I have known for 36 years of marriage that was their way of keeping their family close, ha. Not a bad thing at all but it just doesn’t always work out. I would LOVE to have My Three Sons right next door but life has a way of moving us all around. Love your neighborhood stories and I am happy you have your family close Floyd. I am sure they would have it no other way!! ♥
Monday, September 21, 2015 @ 10:53 am
Having family close it definitely a gift!
Monday, September 21, 2015 @ 5:21 pm
We were not taught to remove our shoes as kids. Probably because we did not have rugs, only linoleum floors. (smile) – We have great neighbors next door. Good Christian folks who often help us out in a pinch. What a blessing to have your daughter and son in law close by and then how God arranged for sister to purchase the house next door. When something comes on the market for a good price, it is time to snatch it up. This one was truly a blessing. We are blessed with daughter Becky and her hubby living 4 miles from us. Granddaughter is in the Sac University, but close enough to come home on occasion to visit. At least our other children and other family members are still in California.
Monday, September 21, 2015 @ 5:22 pm
Thank you Floyd for sharing your awesome post with us here at Tell me a Story.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015 @ 8:52 am
I love the fact that your daughters are close enough to live next door to each other. I know some siblings who can barely be in the same town with each other. I hope my kids have strong relationships with each other as adults.
As for neighbours, we live far enough in the woods that we can’t see anyone around. But we’re still blessed to have good folks just down the road (including my dad and sister.)
Tuesday, September 22, 2015 @ 4:20 pm
This story is almost sacred the way the two sisters theme is passed on. Gives me the chills. I agree with this guy, Chuck, comment er before me. It speaks highly of your family that you dwell together in so much peace and harmony. As a parent, you must love it that you’re all so close in proximity. I worked for a man for 16 years that I adored. He was a multi millionaire and one of the best businessmen I ever met. He failed when it came to family though. We are close to one of his sons and had them over for dinner recently and my heart broke listening to his hurting heart. The neighborhood doesn’t matter does it?
Tuesday, September 22, 2015 @ 6:36 pm
As usual, you shared very straightforwardly and your friends here made nice comments to you. I appreciate your way of breaking into lives and encouraging people. Thanks, Bro. 😉
Tuesday, September 22, 2015 @ 6:39 pm
I’m a germophobe so don’t get me started on shoes in the house . . . but I will agree that good neighbors are a blessing. Unfortunately, we are only blessed on 3 out of four sides. We try to ignore most of the behavior, but last year when bullets were whizzing through the air and raining down on our heads, the line was crossed and we did have to call the police. Never a dull moment in Texas!
Wednesday, September 23, 2015 @ 8:40 am
Yeah, we’ll be moving soon and get to meet the neighbors. I’m thankful it seems to be a quiet neighborhood and there’s a park less than a minute’s walk from us for the kids. I’ve been blessed with good neighbors and also had some bad ones (thankfully the good definitely outnumber the bad). I just want to make sure when neighbors think of me and my family they consider us good neighbors! Thanks Floyd. 🙂
Wednesday, September 23, 2015 @ 11:14 am
What a heartwarming story! How precious it is to have family living close by. A little over three years ago, my husband and I moved 2 1/2 hours away from all of my family. Now, that doesn’t seem too far away, but for the longest time it seemed like it was on the other side of the world. I usually go down once a month to visit everyone. But, there are times when I am on the road back home, and sitting in traffic, that I realize that I’m no longer *just across town* from them. Sometimes it’s still hard. But, family lives in the heart, and there’s no distance that will ever change that.
We don’t have *neighbors* up here. The two people closest to us, and they’re not that close, are only here part-time. But, I can remember in our old neighborhood a giant feud between my next-door neighbor and the guy across the street. One night it came to blows! People, so often it seems like they LOOK for ways to not get along.
Perhaps the greatest lesson to learn is to *be* a good neighbor…that’s a challenge in and of itself, right?!
GOD BLESS!
Saturday, September 26, 2015 @ 3:32 pm
You hit the nail on the head brother. Being the good neighbor is a challenge but one never knows how down the road how that will affect someone else life. Growing up in an alcohol home our neighbors all knew a lot of what went on in our home. I am still thankful for a especially one neighbor who took me in often, love on me, and I always knew I could go to their house and they would call the police. They were not afraid of my dad. That family has given me courage through the years to reach out to someone like me and help them, be that safe person for them. Good post.
Saturday, September 26, 2015 @ 8:41 pm
Floyd,
What a gift that your two daughters get to be neighbors and they’re close to you 🙂 God-incidence, perhaps? Blessings to you and yours this weekend 🙂
Sunday, September 27, 2015 @ 5:48 pm
What a wonderful, heartwarming story, Floyd! That is so neat that your girls can live side-by-side and also so close to you. Time marches on, doesn’t it? It is hard to believe how quickly it passes. I don’t like change and have a hard time with it, but it comes to each of us, inevitably, whether we like it or not. Thanks so much for sharing this and your heart here. You are such a blessing! 🙂
Thursday, October 15, 2015 @ 7:32 am
It’s definitely a blessing having family close by, even next door. I remember the old street we used to live on in my youth, everybody was huddled so close together. Now we are so far apart.