Have you ever gone somewhere against your better judgment?
A few years ago, on a very snowy day, I drove to a meeting that I should begged off due to the weather conditions. However, the sun was shining and I figured that snowplows would have had plenty of time to do their magic. The fact that I had to back up out of the garage quickly to make sure I made it through the snow to get to the street was my first mistake. After all, I never considered having to get back INTO the garage.
Unfortunately, I live on a cul-de-sac and we are never first priority when it comes to snow removal in our neighborhood. The snow was about a foot and a half deep and sure enough, as I pulled up in front of my house, I got stuck in the street. I was cold, mad, and very frustrated. I made a feeble attempt to run the snow blower, but was unsuccessful. (My husband makes it look much easier than it actually is.)
The first good news is that my neighbor and her son came over to shovel me out of the street. Then, another neighbor who lived across the street brought over his deluxe, super-duper, high-powered snow blower and cleared my entire driveway. The thing is, I had never officially met this second neighbor. He did not know me, and yet he was there to help. It made me realize how grateful I am for the neighborhood that Scott and I call home.
In today's fast-paced society, we work all day, come home at night and work or veg in front of the TV, and then go to bed. We don't spend a lot of time outside unless there is yard work to be done, leaving us few opportunities to get to know our neighbors. In many cases, unless you have dogs or children, or have lived in your neighborhood for a long time, there's a good chance that you don't know your neighbors very well, if at all.
Good neighbors are priceless. Not only are they the ones to have the spare key to give you when you lock yourself out of the house, they may be the ones that can provide you with the one egg that you need for the recipe you're in the middle of making. More than that, neighbors that know each other watch out for each other, making the neighborhood a safer place to live.
What can you do to get to know your neighbors? When somebody new moves in, why not put together a "Welcome to the Neighborhood" basket? This can be as simple as homemade brownies or cookies along with some menus from your favorite take-out restaurants. It doesn't have to be a big deal, it's the gesture that counts. For neighbors that you wave to or those you know well, a game night might be a fun way to get to know each other. Another idea is to have a progressive dinner party. You'll have appetizers at one house, dinner at the next, and dessert somewhere else. Rotate the courses to give everybody the opportunity to participate in another part of the meal. Your efforts will pay off in fun times and new friendships.
Take the time today to appreciate your neighborhood and see what you can do to make it an even better place to live. What are your three favorite things about where you live?
Have fun,
Lisa
When we are grateful for everything, we acknowledge people, events and circumstances that we may have taken for granted.
A few years ago, on a very snowy day, I drove to a meeting that I should begged off due to the weather conditions. However, the sun was shining and I figured that snowplows would have had plenty of time to do their magic. The fact that I had to back up out of the garage quickly to make sure I made it through the snow to get to the street was my first mistake. After all, I never considered having to get back INTO the garage.
Unfortunately, I live on a cul-de-sac and we are never first priority when it comes to snow removal in our neighborhood. The snow was about a foot and a half deep and sure enough, as I pulled up in front of my house, I got stuck in the street. I was cold, mad, and very frustrated. I made a feeble attempt to run the snow blower, but was unsuccessful. (My husband makes it look much easier than it actually is.)
The first good news is that my neighbor and her son came over to shovel me out of the street. Then, another neighbor who lived across the street brought over his deluxe, super-duper, high-powered snow blower and cleared my entire driveway. The thing is, I had never officially met this second neighbor. He did not know me, and yet he was there to help. It made me realize how grateful I am for the neighborhood that Scott and I call home.
In today's fast-paced society, we work all day, come home at night and work or veg in front of the TV, and then go to bed. We don't spend a lot of time outside unless there is yard work to be done, leaving us few opportunities to get to know our neighbors. In many cases, unless you have dogs or children, or have lived in your neighborhood for a long time, there's a good chance that you don't know your neighbors very well, if at all.
Good neighbors are priceless. Not only are they the ones to have the spare key to give you when you lock yourself out of the house, they may be the ones that can provide you with the one egg that you need for the recipe you're in the middle of making. More than that, neighbors that know each other watch out for each other, making the neighborhood a safer place to live.
What can you do to get to know your neighbors? When somebody new moves in, why not put together a "Welcome to the Neighborhood" basket? This can be as simple as homemade brownies or cookies along with some menus from your favorite take-out restaurants. It doesn't have to be a big deal, it's the gesture that counts. For neighbors that you wave to or those you know well, a game night might be a fun way to get to know each other. Another idea is to have a progressive dinner party. You'll have appetizers at one house, dinner at the next, and dessert somewhere else. Rotate the courses to give everybody the opportunity to participate in another part of the meal. Your efforts will pay off in fun times and new friendships.
Take the time today to appreciate your neighborhood and see what you can do to make it an even better place to live. What are your three favorite things about where you live?
Have fun,
Lisa
When we are grateful for everything, we acknowledge people, events and circumstances that we may have taken for granted.
Lisa Ryan is the Chief Appreciation Strategist with Grategy. She
is a keynote speaker, gratitude expert, and author of "The Upside of
Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude" and she is featured in
the documentary, "The Keeper of the Keys" with Jack Canfield, Marci
Shimoff, and John Gray.
Learn more about Lisa Ryan at http://www.grategy.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Ryan
Learn more about Lisa Ryan at http://www.grategy.com
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