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Choosing your neighbors

you can not choose your

relatives, they just “come with”

like “soup or salad”

the same holds true for

your neighbors, they just “come with”

the neighborhood – but,

wouldn’t it be nice

if we could choose our neighbors?

know what I would do?

I would carefully

select only those who live

by the Golden Rule,

get your permission

first, then park in your driveway,

and maintain quiet

on weekday evenings,

save your mail, water your plants,

keep an eye out for

loitering strangers

when you are on vacation,

return borrowed things,

keep your housekey for

repairmen when you’re not home,

shop when you are ill,

listen to your gripes,

donate to your charities . . .

reciprocal things

that you would do for

them – in other words, neighbors

just like you and me

you say it’s too bland

making a neighborhood that

homogeneous

where’s the spark, the fire

the differing points of view

that forge consensus?

the raw exchange of

honestly held ideas

other than your own?

the interactions

between divergent cultures

that help all to grow?

sharing holiday

traditions with each other

eating ethnic foods?

taking lots of Tums

supporting a good cause at

neighborhood picnics?

maybe you are right

there is a lot to be said

for diversity

the melting pot made

our country unique among

all other nations

I think I’ll accept

my neighbors, warts and all, and

teach them how to be

the perfect neighbor

by setting an example,

I owe them that much

Ray Singer

13StarsManager
13StarsManagerhttps://malibutimes.com
The Malibu Times is the first newspaper in Malibu, serving the community since 1946.

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