Being A Good Neighbor (Why State Farm & Mr. Rogers Are Right)

I heard someone complaining yesterday about how fast Northern Colorado is growing, and how it is losing it’s small-ish town appeal. (Which I don’t agree with.) I mean it is growing, but it’s still one of the best places on the planet. I’m not a NoCO cheerleader, I’m a guy that just got back from a week in Minneapolis. It’s easy to forget how good we have it here.

What makes a place seem “small,” tight-knit, and close is directly related to how good of a neighbor you are, and how good the rest of your neighbors are at being good ones. Few things in life are as important as the quality of your neighbors. (Which also means you are equally important to them.) These people can end up being important parts of our lives. They are the borrow the shovel, lend a cup of sugar, watch your kids, feed your dog, take you to the hospital, help plant the tree, have a beer, watch the fireworks people that your own family might not even be a lot of the time.

Or…

They can be the biggest pain in the butts in the world. All you have to do is experience bad neighbors once, and you will appreciate good ones forever.

I am lucky enough to have fantastic neighbors. I hope they feel the same way about my wife and I. Being good a neighbor is a simple little thing to do, but is the essential ingredient in keeping our towns the special places that we love to call home.

What kind of neighbor are you? Are you the borrow the shovel, lend a cup of sugar, watch your kids, take you to the hospital, help plant a tree, have a beer, watch the fireworks people?

Or…

Subscribe to: Pete Hanson's Daily Blog.