We Are Neighbors

  Special guest submission by: Suzanne Chisum, Ph.D.  Block Captain - 4100 Block of Potomac - St. Louis, Missouri Knowing my neighbors has brought me immense joy and enriched my life in countless ways. This week's block meeting highlighted the diverse and vibrant community we have, with the arrival of a new family from Vietnam, the exciting news of a baby girl on the way, and the bittersweet departure of a beloved neighbor.  This was in addition to the organization of a neighborhood yard sale and Cinco de Mayo Party.  One of our neighbors shared her work with a local organization that advocates for the people and families of people living in long-term care facilities. The new family from Vietnam brings a touch of international flavor to our block. Their warm smiles and eagerness to connect have created a welcoming atmosphere. Soon we hope to share stories about our different cultures and traditions and foster a sense of understanding and appreciation. Their presence reminds me of t

Forgiveness is a hot topic again. According to Google Books Ngram (which allows you to discover the use of a word in magazines and books in the United States over time), the word forgiveness peaked this past year, even beating the previous high from 1820.  Ironically, the use of the word hate is also at an all-time high and more than double that of the word forgiveness. But why the renewed interest in forgiveness? One explanation is the flippant use of the word and shallow forgiveness: we forgive loans, for example. Or perhaps it is because of the rise in hate. Another explanation is the renewed concern about mental health, and there is a direct correlation between the two. There have also been some high-profile examples of forgiveness that have given rise to books and movies. I think of Cornelia Ten Boom, who forgave her Nazi captors, or Louis Zamperini, whose life was detailed in the book "Unbroken," along with his journey to forgive his Japanese captors. But ask local resi

Missouri Good Neighbor Week (online at http://missourigoodneighborweek.com) encourages neighboring acts between Sept. 28 and Oct. 4 and recognizes people nominated by others as the "most engaged neighbors" in Missouri. Greg and Suzanne Smith of Manchester, Missouri, were nominated in 2023 and were recognized as one of the Top 10 nominations for the year. All nominees receive a gift and a letter letting them know they have been nominated. However, the top 10 nominations receive an award certificate, a prize check, and media recognition. Greg has been a longtime trustee for his Neighborhood Homeowners Association. More importantly, he and his wife, Suzanne, put up 100,000 Christmas lights for the neighborhood every year during the holiday season.  Their nominator mentioned the lights and their service, but more importantly, the attitude in which it is done. "The Smiths have really big hearts, and they often do acts for people in the neighborhood with total anonymity. As a

Tim Muehlhoff, who wrote “Winsome Conviction” is concerned about the level of divisiveness in America and the cracks in our unity. He contends that one of the main causes for this discord is how we think about our convictions. “The reason we fight with each other, and often believe the worst about each other, is that we form convictions about things for which we care deeply. Unfortunately, we all care deeply about different things,” said Muehlhoff. “And even when we care about the same things, we often see these things differently and commit to different courses of action. If we are going to live together, we will need to moderate our convictions.” And Muehlhoff says that is also part of the problem because convictions are about moral absolutes. “In life we encounter two types of issues: absolutes and preferences. It is important that we distinguish these two,” said Muehlhoff. “Convictions are what we have about absolutes, and preferences are what we have about matters of taste.”

  In a world that often values self-interest and division, loving your neighbor stands as a countercultural act with the potential to reshape society. There are five ways that loving your neighbor can lead to empathy, understanding, and interconnectedness. 1. Challenging Self-Centeredness: In a culture that often prioritizes personal success and achievement, loving your neighbor requires a shift in focus from oneself to others. 2. Overcoming Social Divisions: Loving your neighbor transcends societal divisions and encourages us to recognize the shared humanity that unites us all. 3. Promoting Inclusivity and Acceptance: Loving your neighbor means celebrating the uniqueness of each individual and dumping prejudice, discrimination, and exclusion. 4. Cultivating Stronger Communities: By extending a helping hand, offering support, or being present, we create a sense of belonging, connectedness and stronger communities. 5. Inspiring Positive Change: Acts of love and generosity ca

  Where neighbors share a sense of community, residents are more likely to feel safe and secure and have a lower fear of crime than those without a sense of community. People living in connected neighborhoods feel healthier and are happier about their lives and are more likely to vote and help others by volunteering. For these reasons and many more, being a good neighbor and connecting with others on your block improves the neighborhood and helps you personally.  Neighborliness is not a special talent - it is a decision! Anyone can be a good neighbor —it just takes a little initiative, but the rewards make it worthwhile. Neighborhoods with a higher sense of community enjoy a higher quality of life.  So please do it for yourself and your family. Motivation for action can vary widely among humans. But there seem to be four major motivators for individuals to begin reaching and loving their neighbors. As part of a calling Many Christians believe they are called — or commanded — to love th

  Where neighbors share a sense of community, residents are more likely to feel safe and secure and have a lower fear of crime than those without a sense of community. People living in connected neighborhoods feel healthier and are happier about their lives and are more likely to vote and help others by volunteering. For these reasons and many more, being a good neighbor and connecting with others on your block improves the neighborhood and helps you personally.  Neighborliness is not a special talent - it is a decision! Anyone can be a good neighbor —it just takes a little initiative, but the rewards make it worthwhile. Neighborhoods with a higher sense of community enjoy a higher quality of life.  So please do it for yourself and your family. Motivation for action can vary widely among humans. But there seem to be four major motivators for individuals to begin reaching and loving their neighbors. Community Benefit What has the single biggest safety impact on your community? More poli

  Where neighbors share a sense of community, residents are more likely to feel safe and secure and have a lower fear of crime than those without a sense of community. People living in connected neighborhoods feel healthier and are happier about their lives and are more likely to vote and help others by volunteering. For these reasons and many more, being a good neighbor and connecting with others on your block improves the neighborhood and helps you personally.  Neighborliness is not a special talent - it is a decision! Anyone can be a good neighbor —it just takes a little initiative, but the rewards make it worthwhile. Neighborhoods with a higher sense of community enjoy a higher quality of life.  So please do it for yourself and your family. Motivation for action can vary widely among humans. But there seem to be four major motivators for individuals to begin reaching and loving their neighbors. Overcoming Loneliness Researchers say it is the quality of our social interaction, not t

  Where neighbors share a sense of community, residents are more likely to feel safe and secure and have a lower fear of crime than those without a sense of community. People living in connected neighborhoods feel healthier and are happier about their lives and are more likely to vote and help others by volunteering. For these reasons and many more, being a good neighbor and connecting with others on your block improves the neighborhood and helps you personally.  Neighborliness is not a special talent - it is a decision! Anyone can be a good neighbor —it just takes a little initiative, but the rewards make it worthwhile. Neighborhoods with a higher sense of community enjoy a higher quality of life.  So please do it for yourself and your family. Motivation for action can vary widely among humans. But there seem to be four major motivators for individuals to begin reaching and loving their neighbors. For the Health of it Based on data in “Susan Pinker's book “The Village Effect,” w

Missourians from all walks of life will celebrate Missouri Good Neighbor Week (Sept. 28 to Oct. 4) by doing and reporting neighboring acts and celebrating the most engaged neighbors in their respective communities. For the third year, University of Missouri Extension and The Hopeful Neighborhood Project have teamed up to sponsor the week across Missouri. "Every day is a great day to be an engaged neighbor, but Missouri Good Neighbor Week allows us to focus on what it means," said David Burton, community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension and creator of Missouri Good Neighbor Week. The goal for the week is to document 20,000 acts of neighboring in 2024 and to expand the use of #MoGoodNeighbors across social media. Also new this year, statewide winners of the Most Engaged Neighbor Title will be announced and celebrated during the week. Nominations can be made all year online at the Missouri Good Neighbor Week website: http://missourigoodneighb

  Neighboring 101 is not just for new homeowners or people new to community life. The ongoing program is for anyone wanting to improve their neighborhood or community as well as their personal life and health. When you register or subscribe to the program, you get access to all past classes and can attend live sessions with neighboring leaders from all across the United States. Class members can also access David Burton for individual coaching sessions on neighboring. Neighboring 101 class members also receive a special digital newsletter for the class.  Here are the official links to all of our past classes. These are mostly unlisted on YouTube and are made available to individuals in our Neighboring 101 program. WELCOME TO NEIGHBORING 101  - Hear from David Burton, community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension, about the purpose of Neighboring 101, the goals, the benefits and what to expect! BONUS: Interview of Dave Runyon  - The full interview of Dave Runyo