Our Good Neighbor Ruth

Today is the funeral for our good neighbor Ruth. She was ninety-five and had lived on her property for at least fifty years, probably longer . She was the original land owner for our acreage, and sold most of our neighbors their land as well. Ruth was a good neighbor and friend to this community and helped raise many of the people I now call friend. She leaves behind five children, grand children and even great, great grand children. She was kind, generous and a woman we could all admire. Ruth stood her ground, did the right thing, and encouraged everyone she met. I first met her at our gallery opening…she came, “to be a good neighbor and support our venture.”

Whether we like it or not, we are all greatly impacted by the people who reside around us. The next door neighbor who helped you clear that tree. The cubicle mate who brought you that package from the front desk. Even the people living down the road who wave every time you pass. Neighbors are the people who have our back, even if we can’t always remember their name. They watch out for us, care for us, care for their property which in turns help the value of our property. They pay attention when our children visit, walk down the sidewalk, and pay heed when “things seem out of sort” the neighborhood. They are the mail person, the down the street grocer, the vendor in the office next door, or even the family living across that busy street.

As I created this work I remembered the neighbors I experienced growing up, the ones I know living here, and the people I worked with in corporate offices. And I asked myself if I had been a good neighbor to everyone in those different places and groups. What is a good neighbor? I think we all know, even if it is by knowing what a bad neighbor is, and we can all name those. Loud, invasive, the person who cooks fish in the break room microwave. The one who’s trash gets strewn across the road and never cleans it up. We know them by their actions and how those actions impact our lives to a detriment.

As we get ready to leave for the funeral, I am more than thankful to live in an area with good neighbors, great friends and amazing people. And let us be reminded that being a good neighbor is literally a two way street. They do for us and we do for them. One cannot exist without the other, even if that other’s dog barks late at night, like one dog in every neighbor seems to do. When you have good neighbors you are fortunate indeed.

Spend time today reflecting on how your neighbors would describe you. And how you want to improve, strengthen or even get to know that cube mate or newly installed family down the road. Where we live is precious to us all, which includes everyone being good neighbors. We were fortunate to know Ruth, live in her area and experience her character and kind heart. Our neighborhood will miss this amazing woman, and is losing a very good neighbor.