I have noticed something interesting over the years.  When people hear the word neighboring — really connecting with the people who live next door — they rarely argue against it outright. Almost everyone agrees it’s a good idea. Instead, we look for loopholes. We don’t say, “I don’t want to know my neighbors.” We say: “I’m just really busy right now.” “It’s not safe like it used to be.” “People don’t want to be bothered.” “I wouldn’t even know what to say.” “That’s just not my personality.” "My neighbors are crazy." Fear is often the biggest driver. But it’s not the only loophole we use. Let’s name a few. 1. The Busyness Loophole “I just don’t have time.” We live in an era where exhaustion is a badge of honor. Our calendars are full. Our evenings are consumed by work, kids’ schedules, streaming shows, scrolling, or simply recovering from the day. But here’s the hard truth: neighboring rarely requires large blocks of time. It requires margin. It requires noticing. ...

  Many Americans have noticed that relationships with neighbors aren’t what they used to be 20 or 30 years ago. A study from Harvard Medical School shows that 50 years ago, people talked about being neighbors in terms of friendships. Today, we tend to focus on good manners instead, like being quiet or keeping to ourselves. "People have all kinds of ideas about why this has changed," said David Burton, a community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension. "They blame things like fenced yards, fewer front porches, indoor entertainment, garage doors, or air conditioning. But the truth is, it really comes down to the choices each of us makes." Over the past 10 years, researchers have identified four main reasons why many people don’t connect with their neighbors like they used to:  loneliness, busyness, a retreat mindset, and too much focus on entertainment. Loneliness can make people avoid others. "It might sound strange, but when people are...