Brighten The Corner Where You Are: A Neighbors Story from Rogersville, Missouri

 


Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do,

Do not wait to shed your light afar,

To the many duties ever near you now be true,

Brighten the corner where you are.

- Hymn was written in the 1920s by Ina Mae Duley Ogdon,

 

When Darla Noble and her husband I moved to Greene County in 2012 their first stop was Springfield. She tells her story this way:

Living in town was something very new and different. As a fifth-generation farm girl, it was a culture shock; honestly, we weren't happy. So, in 2017 we built a new house in Rogersville. That was a happy medium, so to speak. But despite our best efforts to fit in and establish a new community of friends, it wasn't happening. So, about this time last year, I decided to stop trying. Instead of trying to fit into someone else's circle, I established my own. 

I decided that I would brighten the corners of my neighborhood and my community and extend a hand of friendship to some of the other women in my neighborhood to see if they would like to join me. I was done with the superficial wave, nod, obligatory 'hello', and such. We are relational beings and need a community of friends who can lean on us and vice versa. So, I sent invitations and was 'rewarded' with a six out of seven positive responses. And as they say, 'the rest is history'. 

Since last May we have been able to bring our neighborhood together in various, creative, fun, and relational ways. We have been able to come alongside a few neighbors in their times of need, to rally behind those who have lost loved ones, to help those in need of assistance during times of crisis, and to let the children know they are loved, cared for, and supported. As for the community in general, we have adopted a nursing home, we have provided supplies to the library, to support local businesses monetarily, and to become friends with those who live around us. 

In short, we are LIVING in our neighborhood, not just existing. 

Darla says one of her inspirations was an old hymn entitled, "Brighten the Corner Where You Are." Seek lyrics here.

Learn more about Darla Noble at http://www.dnoblewrites.com 

Read her blog about brightening your own corner of the world. Blog

Read her blog about inviting neighbors over. Blog.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Five Cities Named Most Neighborly in Missouri for 2024

Image
  Photo above: From a block party in Ferguson, Missouri. New to Missouri Good Neighbor Week this year was recognition for the most neighborly cities in the state.  This honor was based on points earned by participating in the week, city campaigns and proclamations, residents making nominations for most engaged neighbor and reporting acts of neighboring, and statewide or local prizes won.  "The goal was to further engage cities with Missouri Good Neighbor Week and we had over 12 pass proclamations and at least 12 that had organized city-wide efforts for Missouri Good Neighbor Week," said David Burton, community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension and creator of Missouri Good Neighbor Week. "We ended the week with over 31,000 documented acts of neighboring and five cities worthy of the title 'most neighborly city' in Missouri." In 2024, five cities were named the most neighborly cities in Missouri: Houston, Excelsior Springs, Sikeston,...
Read more

MU Extension Announces Show Me Neighborhood Art Week June 1-15

Image
  To participate in Show Me Neighborhood Art Week, Missourians  must register here online . The registration deadline for Show Me Neighborhood Art Week is May 24. Preexisting and new public art can be registered, but only new art can be considered for prizes. The location for this event is ALL of Missouri -- your front yard, your neighborhood, and your community. The online state map marking locations around Missouri will be interactive. If you have questions, please see the contact emails at the end of this blog. SPRINGFIELD, MO. -  University of Missouri Extension has announced the launch of a new statewide public art exhibit called Show Me Neighborhood Art Week. This outreach program strives to promote creative expression and public art made by residents, regardless of their skill level, as a contribution to the community's sense of place and residents' sense of belonging. The initiative was inspired by LAWN (Lawn Art With Neighbors), a grassroots program launched in S...
Read more

Missouri's Most Engaged Neighbors Honored as Part of Missouri Good Neighbor Week

Image
  During Missouri Good Neighbor Week 2024, over 120 individuals were nominated as Missouri's Most Engaged Neighbor, and 22 were selected for individual recognition. Our Missouri celebration also got national attention from NextDoor, the social media company, whose leadership team worked with us to create a post that went out nationwide on NextDoor on Sept. 27.  You can access it here . At that point, another 50 nominations poured in from across the state. "The nominations were of really high quality this year," said David Burton, community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension and creator of Missouri Good Neighbor Week. "Every nominee should have received a letter letting them know of the nomination and a memento, a Missouri Good Neighbor Week nominee keychain." The top nominees (22 this year) will receive a check for $100 and an official award certificate. In past years, there have been 50 to 60 nominations. But this year, the window for ...
Read more