“Good Fences Make Good Neighbors” Misses the Point

by hopefulneighbo | Oct 19, 2023 | Pursue the Common Good

“Good fences make good neighbors” is a quote often misused. This line is frequently used to justify building a fence and keeping neighbors at arm’s length. But that was not the author’s recommendation. In Robert Frost’s 1914 poem, “Mending Wall,” he...

The Loneliness Epidemic – The Solution Is in Your Neighborhood

by hopefulneighbo | Sep 26, 2023 | Pursue the Common Good

There is an epidemic of loneliness in the United States, and it is serious. Lack of connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to a new advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. n...

National Good Neighbor Day—How Will You Celebrate?

by hopefulneighbo | Sep 7, 2023 | Neighborhood Well-being, Pursue the Common Good

National Good Neighbor Day is September 28. Do you have the date saved in your calendar? Until a few years ago, I had no idea this holiday even existed. I wasn’t aware that in 1978 then-President Jimmy Carter signed a nationwide proclamation to promote the idea of...

What Loving Your Neighbor is NOT

by hopefulneighbo | Aug 8, 2023 | Pursue the Common Good

I get a daily Google Alert by email with links to stories, articles, and videos that use the phrase, “Love Your Neighbor.” Skimming those links shows hundreds, if not thousands, of examples of what that phrase is not. First, “love your...

The 50 Yard Challenge

by hopefulneighbo | May 30, 2023 | Getting to Know Your Neighbors, Imagine the Possibilities, Neighborhood Well-being, Pursue the Common Good

I grew up mowing lawns in my hometown of Ash Grove, Missouri. My dad provided me with a riding and trim mower that I could use to mow other yards, that is, if I cut our lawn when asked—and without complaint. For seven years, I had ten yards within a half-mile of my...

Won’t You Be My Neighbor Day

by hopefulneighbo | Feb 27, 2023 | Imagine the Possibilities, Pursue the Common Good

A Beautiful Day in This Neighborhood “It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, A beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?” nFred Rogers It wasn’t too long ago when neighbors were asked to “stay home and stay safe.” This was done for the...