What happened to the days when we cared about one another? Those days when being a neighbor meant something? What happened to the days when if your neighbor needed help you were there for them even if you didn’t like them or barely knew them, just because they were your neighbor?

Most religious texts and beliefs have some sort of statement about caring for our neighbors. The Bible even says “Love your neighbor as yourself”. What do we suppose that means? Well I think it’s fairly obvious that we are supposed to care about our neighbors as much as we are concerned for or care about ourselves. Then we must question, in this day and age, who is our neighbor? How do we define neighbor?

The first obvious answer is that our neighbors are those that live close to us or directly around us. Some people think of their neighbors only as those who live directly next to them on either side. Others consider their neighbors anyone within a block. And still other folks might consider anyone within a small community to be their neighbor. These are all correct but I’d like to even expand upon that idea.

In this day and age we have telephones, internet, cable and so many other ways of communicating with each other that bring us closer together. By bringing us closer together we have all essentially become neighbors. This means that my friend who I talk to daily online but who lives hundreds of miles away from me is in a way still my neighbor. He is my neighbor in the global community and I have some responsibility to care about him.

What does this mean to be concerned for or care about or love our neighbors? In my mind it means that if they are suffering or struggling then we, as their neighbors, should have some responsibility to reach out to them with support and kindness. This might be emotional support, it might be financial support, it might be by providing some assistance that we can manage to provide, but it means we should be concerned and offer what we can. Now I’m not saying offer what we cannot. We are all struggling in different ways. I cannot help anyone financially but I can be there as a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen. I might be able to buy you a loaf of bread or some macaroni and cheese to help you out. Someone else might be able to give you a ride to the store or to an appointment. Another neighbor might be able to provide some other help as well.

Let me share some of the stories I have heard or seen about neighbors helping neighbors.

• I have a friend in Massachusetts who works many long hours a week. Her job requires her to drive to different patients houses to provide support on a daily basis. Her car is very important to her continued employment and therefore financial stability. Last year her car DIED out of the blue. She and her family did not have the money to fix it as it was a very big breakdown and nothing minor. She was in a panic. Within a few days her next door neighbor, who they actually barely speak with, found out what was going on. This neighbor has a vehicle that they were no longer using and they GAVE it to her. It was just the miracle she needed.
• I live in a campground where many of us are hanging on to our lives by our fingernails. Often many of us have little or no food in our houses. The neighbors here have been known to leave anonymous groceries on people’s doorsteps. As well, the neighbors here often, once or twice a week, ban together and create a large meal that feeds basically everyone in the campground, whether they can contribute or not. It’s pretty amazing to see.
• I currently have no running vehicle. It’s been broke down for six months. I have a neighbor who has been so kind as to let me use his vehicle when I need to go get groceries or medicines. I have other neighbors who have given me rides when that vehicle wasn’t available. And now that my life has really gotten twisted and emergency life stuff mandates that I NEED my van running, another neighbor from down the road paid for our car parts on their credit card so that we could get it running.
• One day a girl here in our park was having a complete nervous breakdown. She was hysterically crying and talking about wishing she were dead. One of the neighbors here wanted badly to ease her pain but there was no way to do it, so he simply listened and then found some cute ways to make her laugh. Again these were to neighbors that honestly seldom see each other or have a lot to do with each other but it was out of kindness and caring that he did this.
• And then there is this one wonderful “Angel” in the area I live. This is the only story of a person who I see that “has” giving from his heart and truly caring about someone who does not “have” right now. He doesn’t give because he has to or because he feels obligated. He doesn’t make this family he gives to feel like it’s charity. He truly is an “Angel”. This man doesn’t even really know this family who he gives to but he shows up randomly once or twice a month at their door with an envelope and a warm handshake and a smile. He gives them the envelope, which contains various amounts of cash to help this family out, and then drives away.

In my first 4 stories all these neighbors were people who are of about the same income level or level of struggle at the moment. Only in my 5th story is the neighbor one of means. It’s sad that those of us who have had and now have not can feel neighborly toward others in our situation but that those who could really help have forgotten what the word “neighbor” really means and how to be one.

Have you been a neighbor in your world? What can you do to be more neighborly? Do you even think about these things or are you too wrapped up in your own little world?

I challenge all who read this to try and be a true neighbor within their community. I challenge you to be a light, be an angel, be a shoulder, but BE a part of your community and show others how to do so as well. I promise that it is rewarding and worth it.