I'm in a former mining town in W PA and the population has gotten older over the years. We've had more younger families with children moving there for the low cost of property and property taxes. It's wonderful to see a gaggle of kids waiting for the school bus in the morning or seeing them out playing in the yards. The thing that seems to be missing is that sense of community that we once had. We all played together as long as we could get away with it everyone's yard was part of the playground. People didn't feel the need to see their kids off in the morning and wait for them to get home in the afternoon. We weren't being scared by media sensationalism about the "predators" that were everywhere.
I knew that if got out of line my neighbors would set me straight and let my parents know.
If someone was working on a project that interested me or was cooking something that smelled wonderful, I was welcome to be a pest and try to learn as much as I could.
I try and do my part in the simplest and least challenging ways. I walk the neighbors dog for no better reason than just to BS. If their car breaks down, I find a way to get it into my heated garage to work on it. A couple of years ago I helped a neighbor clear snow from the roof to avoid a roof collapse and they were thanking me and the only thing I could say was "That's what neighbors do" It's disappointing that I had no Trick or Treaters but I try in my own way that we are not enemies or competitor, we are all in this together and your neighbor might be the best help for solving a problem that you might have trouble handling.
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