9:24am By Laurel Dailey and Scott Jones | Ever found yourself burning with frustration over an issue with one of your neighbors? The anger could be from lack of sleep due to a raucous party keeping you awake till the predawn hours. It could be their inability to park in one space in an area where parking is at a premium. It could be the waste their dog left behind on the sidewalk–that you invariably stepped in. Or maybe it’s that same dog howling at the moon till midnight, robbing you–yet again–of that good night’s rest. We Love Long Beach recently received over 125 responses from our Long Beach neighbors via Facebook when we posed the question: What makes you angry, hurt or frustrated with your neighbors?
These and many others are the kinds of issues that begin to accumulate over time. They are seemingly innocuous acts that, when added up over months or years, create bitterness and even hatred for the people we (begrudgingly) call our neighbors. They are the things that create deep divides between two sides, bitter rifts that can often last longer than the age-old quarrel between the Hatfields and the McCoys. In the end, the issue with our neighbors is one of old-fashioned respect. The thought goes something like this: If neighbor X were at all mindful of me, I couldn’t be nearly this upset. Sound familiar?
We Love Long Beach believes that the relationships we have with our neighbors don’t have to be this way, and–quite often enough–we have very kind and caring neighbors. But what about the neighbors we want to speak our minds to, and yet have hesitated out of fear that doing so would make the situation worse, not better? What can we do to play our role in human health and dignity?
On Sunday, September 25th, we are inviting you (and all your neighbors) to participate in a new idea for Long Beach called “Good Neighbor Day.”
The concept is twofold:
First, it is a day to reconcile and forgive neighbors that have hurt, wronged, or disrespected us in some way. It’s a day to initiate that old conversation you probably should have had a while ago–but for one reason or another never got around to having. It’s a day to make all things right with our neighbors–to play our role in initiating reconciliation, even if it is not reciprocated.
Second, it is a day of celebration. It is a day to bake your neighbors cookies, or to write them a letter or card about how much they are appreciated. It’s a day to show your neighbors hospitality by having them over for a BBQ or dinner. It’s a day for block parties and potlucks, good music and fun. It’s a day during which we are reminded that all people possess dignity, value, and worth; that community and neighborhoods are about our interdependence and our need for one another.
Finally, it is a day to remember that it truly takes a neighborhood to raise a child–that young and old are all members of the same block. It is about remembering that we all are responsible to and accountable for the peace and common good of one another. This day is one small step that might open up a bigger and more beautiful world of neighborliness and friendship in the future.
So please join us in celebrating (and participating in) Good Neighbor Day. Tell your friends, family and neighbors, and please share with us your stories of how you and your neighbors are knowing, serving and loving one another.