Do you know yours?

We have lived in our current house for almost nine years. That whole time we have had the same neighbors to our left. An older couple with grown children. I don't ever remember a formal introduction, just lot's of waves and hellos. For eight years we have just waved and said hello. The majority of the time we would see the man going to and from work, mowing his yard, or washing his Corvette. We very rarely saw the woman come out of the house and when she did it was never alone, always with him.

Every Christmas time I bake goodies for the neighbors, but mainly the ones that we know well. For years I never brought the older couple goodies until last Christmas. I don't know why, just thought it would be nice. I got brave and took them over even though I really didn't know them that well. Heck, we had lived next to them for a very long time. It was about time! I rang the doorbell and she answered. I handed her the goody bag and wished them a Merry Christmas. We visited for a few minutes. She was very nice. I left feeling really glad that I had made that decision.

Just recently I had noticed a change next door. When the yards started growing weeds in the Spring their yard didn't get mowed. He has always been prompt about mowing his yard. I didn't see him going and coming home from work. All of a sudden I would see her driving the car and standing outside of the house. Finally one day I noticed a younger women mowing their yard. I made a comment that I thought something was wrong. Maybe he was sick.

On Friday my doorbell rang. I answered it and she stood on my porch. The first time she has visited our home. She told me she had two things to talk to me about. First, she said that they were sad we were moving and they would miss us! Wow, that really surprised me. We have lived here for almost nine years and I didn't know how they felt about having us for neighbors. I was touched by her comment. Second, she wanted the name of the painter who worked on our house. They thought he did a great job. I invited her in.

For the first time in almost nine years I had a very nice long conversation with this woman. The weird thing is that I felt we had known each other for many years just because they lived next door. She told me her husband had been diagnosed with lung cancer. I told her we would pray for him.

When she left I cried. I was brokenhearted that I had let the last nine years slip away without getting to know them. I was sad to hear about his illness. I was touched by her visit and our conversation. Even though we had only spoken once, I felt a connection to them because we share a fence and part of a street and knew each others routines. We will be helping them out as much as we can before we leave. I am glad that I was able to get to know them.

Please continue praying for Bill and Diane. They have four sons. Three of them live close and one lives in Pittsburg. She tells me that the chemotherapy is going well. It is good that they have family close.

Lesson learned: Don't let life's busyness keep you from forming important relationships with your neighbors or anyone else for that matter!

Don't wait until it is too late! This incident sparked a need to be more aware of the people around me and how God would have me be a servant to them! Also, are there people from your past that you need to find or visit with? Are there things that need to be said to others? God will bless your heart abundantly if you do!

I think that life is definitely too short to put these important things off.