The Great Neighborhood Gathering That Never Was (Yet)

 

I have a dream. Not the kind that changes the world. The kind that changes the block. 

I want to gather my neighbors together regularly, create the kind of cozy, casual, chip-and-dip-fueled fellowship that makes sitcoms feel so charming. I want porch laughs, spontaneous potlucks, and debates over whether Sharon down the street actually waters her lawn at 2 a.m. or if that’s just a neighborhood myth.

And yet, I don’t.

Because I’m tired. So, so tired.

The idea strikes me at the most inconvenient times—usually when I’m cleaning out the garage or scrolling social media and seeing neighbors in a cul-de-sac dancing in perfect choreographed harmony. 

“Why not us?” I whisper, feeling momentarily inspired. “Why not tacos and trivia in the driveway?” The dream glimmers like a mosquito zapper on a summer night.

Then, reality: I have to work.

I have to feed people (again).

Also, I haven’t folded the laundry in months.

My intentions are gold-plated. I draft texts in my mind: “Hey everyone! Thinking about hosting a little get-together this Saturday night! Drinks? Laughter? A vague sense of community responsibility?” But before I can hit send, the inner saboteur takes over.

Inner Voice, a.k.a. Me vs. Me:

“Do you really want to clean the bathroom for guests?”

“You’ll have to talk to all the people.”

“What if you run out of guacamole and become that house?”

So I stall. I wait for the perfect moment, which I’m starting to suspect doesn’t exist outside Hallmark movies or those weird neighborhoods with functioning block captains.

I once saw my neighbor taking out her recycling, and we shared a warm, hopeful wave. I almost said, “Hey, we should all get together sometime!” But then I remembered I was wearing pajama pants and one flip-flop. So I panicked and blurted, “Nice… cans!” while pointing to her recycling bin.

We have not spoken since.

I still want it, though. I want to create something beautiful on this street that isn’t just a creatively parked RV. I want the kind of neighborhood where you can borrow sugar, or at least know someone’s name other than “Guy Who Owns the Loud Leaf Blower.”

So here’s my pledge: I will host something. Maybe not today. Maybe not this month. But someday—after a nap and possibly once I’ve located my other flip-flop—I will gather my neighbors.

And it will be glorious.

Or at the very least, there will be chips.


Written by David L. Burton

MORE INFORMATION

Take the Engaged Neighbor pledge and become part of a movement! The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge at https://nomoregoodneighbors.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special invitations to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.com or visit his website at http://engagedneighbor.com.

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