February 9, 2009

love your neighbors

A blog/flickr artist is having a fundraiser on her blog for the Australian brushfire victims. Read about it here.

I needed a reminder about loving neighbors today as I've been having difficulty loving mine. The right side of my dark blue jeep is nicked with myriad dings of rude people who don't know how to open a car door and my bumper still has the marks of a hit and run parker. One neighbor serenades me daily as he sits on his stoop and smokes cigarettes. The hoopties drive up and down the streen with bass that vibrates my nerves to each and every last nerve ending. When I drive past the lot for sale behind me - I see the garbage piled on by the owner who is too lazy to have it cleaned or mowed. *deep breath*

There are days its very difficult to love neighbors - and I imagine its probably difficult at times for them to love me. The mean woman that scowls at loud music.
scribbled by

12 comments:

  1. drollgirlFebruary 9, 2009 at 9:22 AM

    ugh. it is hard to co-exist with nitwits. may your new neighbors be way better!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. heather smith jonesFebruary 9, 2009 at 9:32 AM

    Oh I feel for you, as I know that the tail light on my truck was taken out when a neighbor ran into it!

    Thank you for the mention about the fundraiser, I appreciate it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Laura DoyleFebruary 9, 2009 at 9:40 AM

    I will have to post some photos of my neighbors' yards. Just filthy and disgusting, bringing the property values of the entire neighborhood down, day by day. I too, have trouble loving my neighbors. I figure I'd be able to better love them from afar, such as from about 25 miles away from my cottage in the woods where my closest neighbors will be unseen and out of earshot. Such are my hopes and dreams. **sigh**

    ReplyDelete
  4. GabbyFebruary 9, 2009 at 10:02 AM

    That's a tall order. I feel you. A few years ago I lived in downtown San Jose while working for a startup. I lived in a tiny studio, surrounded by white guys who thought they were "gangstas", blasting out sub woofers day and night, the jets landing at the airport nearby around the clock, and the smell of cigarette smoke wafting from the lower floors through my open window. I feel truly blessed to rent my mini-house on forty acres of horse farm country in the hills now...a pond outside, cranes, ducks, wild turkey, mule deer, rabbits, and geese as neighbors. I think I have a patent dislike of people and that's not good.

    ReplyDelete
  5. LeacayoungartFebruary 9, 2009 at 10:28 AM

    I was reading about this last night, so sad. I need to read up on it this morning.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wayfaring WandererFebruary 9, 2009 at 11:33 AM

    I am happy that I don't have neighbors who live too close in the valley.....it's so peaceful!

    ReplyDelete
  7. spread your wingsFebruary 9, 2009 at 11:42 AM

    well this is the place from which you're moving right? hope your new home has better neighbors : )

    it's hard to avoid the rude people who ding your car though isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  8. sharilynFebruary 9, 2009 at 1:12 PM

    ah, how this resonates with me... i get to listen to very loud foul "f" filled rap music blasted through my bedroom windows ...blown in with rancid pot smoke... thank you for reminding me that he is one of those "neighbors" in my life whom i am called to love... i just wish he weren't so downright rude! :)

    thanks for the reminder, char! (i'm still on the search for a new apt anyway...)

    ReplyDelete
  9. tangobabyFebruary 9, 2009 at 1:20 PM

    I don't have a hard time loving my neighbors (although the guy downstairs is a bit odd) but it's the landlord's son I'll never be able to love.

    We had to get a police restraining order against him because, well, he's crazy. First time I've ever had to do that, and hopefully the last.

    I hope your neighbors might wake up out of their respective dazes and realize that you're not a mean lady at all, and they could be a little more introspective into how their behavior affects everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  10. vsm/whirling dirvish photographyFebruary 9, 2009 at 8:08 PM

    This is why I want to live on a county road thirty miles from pavement...
    I want the freedom of choice, frankness of nudity, and volume by discretion.

    I'm still taking donations... want to join in gettin' some for yourself? ;P

    ReplyDelete
  11. ChrisFebruary 12, 2009 at 5:34 PM

    I feel for ya, although we're lucky where we're at. On one side is my husband's sister, who is wonderful, and on the other is a nice, quiet neighbor that never bothers us. But across the street we have some crazy people, and there's often police activity over there. There's been a stabbing, a stroke in the driveway (the guy left his wife to suffer in some water while he stood there yelling at her), and a myriad of other fun things going on there since we moved in a year and a half ago.

    ReplyDelete
  12. GailOFebruary 14, 2009 at 11:39 AM

    ...ah neighbors...I can hear them yelling right now!

    ReplyDelete

i feel as if each comment was between us as we sat and sipped something warm....i love to hear what you're thinking.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)