What it means to be a good neighbor (chronicle)

We are not promoting any specific religious or spiritual viewpoint in this column, but I wanted to expand on what it means to be a good neighbor in our world today, because it should be a universal goal.

As an American, who are our neighbors? On a physical scale we could say Mexico and Canada, but what about as individuals? This is where we seem to struggle as a country. Within our borders we have many different ethnicities: Irish, Italian, German, Ukrainian, etc. We also have a variety of skin colors, ranging from black and brown to yellow and white.

We cannot forget the many religious faiths, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism, to name a few. And then there is the most controversial of all: political beliefs.

Unfortunately, this diversity of race, skin color, politics and religion is the basis of much animosity among the population of our country. It doesn’t have to be this way. If you were injured in an accident, would you refuse help from someone who looked or believed differently from you? Or, reversing the roles, would you refuse to help someone who looked or believed differently?

If we accepted each other as we are, human beings sharing a common existence, if we showed mercy and compassion, if we tried to teach or share rather than impose our own beliefs, there would be much more of peace in the world. Are you ready to take on the challenge? And if you’re having trouble, ask one of your neighbors for help. Together we can all achieve this.

It seems like the days of neighborhood barbecues, block parties, etc. are upon us. or falling into the past. Many people don’t know their neighbors and many don’t want to know them. This trend started quite a long time ago, and the explosion of social media and COVID-19 lockdowns in recent years have further exacerbated it.

Although we would like our neighborhood to become a more connected community, we cannot impose this desire on ourselves. However, this does not mean that we are prevented from individually becoming better neighbors. The reach of our neighbors extends beyond the people in our immediate vicinity because it is an inclusive word.

We might consider all living things on this planet our neighbors, but at a minimum, we should at least consider all of humanity our neighbors. I realize this may seem too inclusive for some people, but the Oxford Dictionary defines a neighbor as “anyone in need of their help or kindness.” Can you think of anyone who doesn’t need to receive kindness?

It can be tempting to look for reasons to disqualify people based on our own judgment of them and their lives, but this does not mean that they are no longer in need, just that we have decided that they are not. do not deserve our kindness. Our refusal to view them as worthy individuals speaks volumes about us while failing to defend our position. Certainly, people alienated by society and deemed ineligible for kindness are the very people who need it the most!

Kindness is not meant to be used as a weapon or withheld as punishment. It is a vehicle for transformation, a lifestyle that will take us beyond our self-centered worlds and toward a new reality where peace is possible. This may seem like too grandiose a goal for something as humble as kindness, but how can peace begin, internally or externally, if we don’t value something as integral as kindness?

We cannot hate our way to peace, but rather we must light the way with love. As our love lights the way, we are gradually able to see more neighbors in need and can extend help and kindness to them more freely. While we can’t inspire everyone to a more peaceful existence, we can encourage many and reap incredible positive growth within ourselves!