[I Buried My Guns]

"...Because the best protection isn't owning 30 guns; it's having 30 people who care about you...

Sadly, I've found that it is a lot easier to buy guns than it is to build a sense of community.

I moved into my neighborhood about 8 months ago, and made an effort to meet and know my neighbors. Guess what? They do not want to know ME. Aside from a few nice folks, I can't even get them to return my wave as I ride my bike down the street. They are "cocooners" who pull into their driveway at 5:30 and go directly into their house.

My mentality is that sooner or later, a burglar is gonna hit our neighborhood, and statistically, it won't be my house but rather a neighbor's. I can't keep and eye out for my neighbors because I do not know who is supposed to be there at any given time, because I do not know them and they are aloof. I'd love to help out, but my neighbors do not want the same sense of community that I do.

ALSO: We live near the ghetto, and when the next hurricane hits, (when the police are overwhelmed and the response time drags out to 45 minutes) there is nothing to prevent the bad folks from overrunning our area and stripping us bare. With this in mind, you'd think that the good people would put some thought into their long-term self defense, but no, the nightly lineup on ESPN 8 (The Ocho) has for more importance, apparently.

It's just sad: The actual degradation of society happening right in front of me, writ small.

[mrs tiggywinkle]

I'm nodding my head in total agreement as I read your post. We know only a few neighbors by name - the rest seemingly don't desire to know who they live next to, even for the last 10 years we don't know their names. The few neighbors we do know, we talk regularly and work together on projects. We share food - even leftovers - and keep an eye out on the neighborhood goings-on (just call me Mrs. Kravitz). We garden and share the harvest. Holidays bring breads and goodies to their doors. Tools are shared, lawns tended, trash cans put away, flower beds weeded and trees trimmed. We seek to help one another. While our desire is to be elsewhere, this is where we're planted and where we must bloom.