TomLaForce.com

A while ago, I was talking to a friend about his neighborhood. He told me that he and his wife built their dream home. It is large, beautifully furnished, and filled with toys. The house is perfect.

The problem is that he doesn’t feel connected to anyone in his neighborhood. Everybody stays inside. Nobody chats over the back fence. It feels cold and uncaring.

He remembers the old neighborhood where they raised their children. When they moved in, people reached out to he and his wife. Neighbors did home improvement projects together. They spent time in garages shooting the breeze and drinking beer. They took turns hosting card parties.

In his voice I could hear his desire to find a new neighborhood like the one he left many years ago. I could also hear his concern that the place he’s seeking may no longer exist.

His story made me think about my own neighborhood. Two questions came to mind. “What kind of neighborhood do I want?” and “What am I doing to create it?”

Thinking more about it, I realized that these are great questions in all areas of our lives.

Want to live a healthier lifestyle? What are you doing about it?

Wish you had a stronger relationship with someone significant in your life? What are you doing about it?

Think you have better ideas than your elected officials? What are you doing about it?

It is easy to want something different. It is hard to work for the change we want to see. Perhaps taking action will be easier if we add one more question to the list, “If I don’t do it, who will?”

Photo by ItzaFineDay