We Are Neighbors

  Six years ago, I thought I was a good neighbor until I realized -- I was not! New people moved in, and I didn't bother to get to know their names. Eventually, I only knew one family living next to me. Yet, I still would have said I was a good neighbor. It is said that we should love our neighbors. I would have said I did, because I sure didn’t hate anyone. But the opposite of love is not hate, it is apathy. And I had apathy for those around me. Research recently finished by University of Missouri Extension shows that most Americans believe a “good neighbor” is quiet and leaves them alone. That was me! I didn’t learn my new neighbors' names. I was quiet, and left them alone. I thought I already was a GOOD neighbor. In America, we do not need more good neighbors, we need engaged neighbors. We need engaged neighbors who connect with those living around them, regardless of skin color, values or who they voted for in the last election. Kurt Kaiser wrote the song "Pa...

  Innovation or improvement often fails for the wrong reason in a business or even our personal lives. It is not that the idea is bad. It is just that the idea never had a chance. Our crazy busy lives are killing our innovation and causing us to be unreceptive to new ideas in our personal lives and our businesses. How many times have you seen a great idea at work bubble up, and even be met with excitement, only to have it die because no one had time for it after the brainstorming session. When we have packed schedules already, new projects simply die when we try to add them to existing workloads. That is why I advocate the creation of “stop doing” lists.  This is not an idea unique to me. I first learned about this idea in the book “Crazy Busy,” by Kevin Deyoung, but has since seen others reference it as well. Most of our work schedules do not have free time – especially if we have been at that place of work very long. Adding new activities without eliminating other tasks is a...

  If you listen in on conversations around town or look at social media posts you will notice that many conversations are about problems that need to be fixed. It is termed as a deficit focus.   It is sometimes dressed up as “what are our needs.”   The challenge is that this focus rarely works. And if it does it rarely keeps people engaged.   Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) is a better approach for long-term impact. This approach to addressing community needs starts with the assumption that the most significant need in a community is the need for more connection and mobilization of existing community strengths.     By starting with a community's assets, we discover that many solutions are initiated locally, sustained by the community members, and have an exponential impact.     It does require residents to be engaged beyond complaining. But when people are asked to apply their talents and gifts, it is generally easier ...

  Here is an example of something Republic residents can register for and make a tangible and positive difference in their neighborhood. A free Neighborhood Watch Training for residents of the City of Republic begins with a meal at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at the Republic Police Department, 540 Civic Blvd, Republic, Mo. The training runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Officer Roger Stewart will be the class instructor. The meal will be provided by University of Missouri Extension for those that pre-register. This training is the first step toward having a Neighborhood Watch on your block. Registration must be done online at http://extension.missouri.edu . Search for Neighborhood Watch and register your attendance. Neighborhood Watch is a voluntary civilian program to reduce crime and increase community engagement. Working with the Republic Police Department, citizens learn when and how to report suspicious activities, assist in property identification, conduct home security s...

  Performing an act of neighboring is easier than people imagine. Acts of neighboring are often simple gestures that help develop a positive relationship with someone living near you, gives encouragement to others and makes your neighborhood or community a better place to live. When people get inspired to become better neighbors, they often think they must begin by hosting a block party. Block parties are fun, but don’t start there. Keep it simple,. Start neighboring by learning the names of your immediate neighbors, finding ways to use the names of your immediate neighbors, and then host or attend small social events with your neighbors. Missouri Good Neighbor Week (Sept. 28-Oct. 4) is a great time to take action to build positive relationships with your neighbors. If you want to become a better neighbor, start by picking a date during that week to do something. Then, report what you do on the Missouri Good Neighbor Week website at https://missourigoodneighborweek.com . ...

There is no shortage of examples of bad neighbors in television shows and films these days. Consider Homer Simpson or any neighbor from “Desperate Housewives."  But what does it mean to be a genuinely “good” neighbor? An MU Extension research project finds most Missourians say a good neighbor is quiet and leaves them alone! But surprise, according to a national etiquette expert, being a good neighbor requires more than lending someone a cup of sugar or delivering a plate of cookies. Share important information. One of the best ways to welcome new neighbors is by providing them with a “need-to-know” checklist. This can include contact information for people who provide services like a housekeeper, handyman, or lawn-mowing service. Keep up your curb appeal. Just one ugly home in a community can reduce property values for the entire neighborhood. Keep the front of your house as tidy as possible, including the lawn and other plants. Be a responsible pet owner. If you h...

To what extent would you go to help a neighbor or reach a neighbor? Would you go across your town or is just going across the street too far? Consider this example when we think about barriers to being an engaged neighbor. Tychicus first appears in the Bible in Acts 20:4 at the end of the Apostle Paul's third missionary journey (AD 57). He was preparing to go to Jerusalem for the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost) to take money to the Holy City's needy saints. On at least two occasions, Tychicus accompanied Paul and  delegates from the gentile churches in delivering money and gifts to the Jerusalem church. However, Tychicus may best be known for delivering the letter of Colossians and delivering the slave Onesimus back to his owner Philemon. On that fantastic journey, Tychicus and Onesimus: Walked the 360 Roman miles on the Appian Way from Rome to the port city of Brundusium and then boarded a ship to Corinth.    Then took a boat that crossed 353 miles of the Adriatic Sea and G...

  Based on their observations, humans tend to make up stories or narratives about people they see but do not know. Every cranky neighbor must be a serial killer and every house with drawn curtains must be hiding something. This is such a tendency that it also is great fodder for movies. Here is my list of the top ten movies that will make you scared of your neighbors! If you did not already think horror was behind the picket fence, you will after watching these movies! Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock  Rear Window features a man in a wheelchair who is housebound due to a leg injury, and he observes his neighbors from his rear window and witnesses a murder. Many films have copied the same formula or come up with unnerving plots that have the audience questioning how well they know the person next door. The ‘Burbs (1989) Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) lives on a quiet suburban street. He and a few of his neighbors become suspicious of the Klopeks, the new eccentric family on the block,...