There is an old adage that says “It takes a village to raise a child”. I believe this to be true so again I beg the question, “What happened to the village?” Has it deteriorated under the influence of technology? Did it happen long before modern technology consumed our lives? Did it disappear when one by one we decided that everyone needs to mind their own business? Perhaps it slowly disappeared under the environmental cues that told us our neighbors were not to be trusted? There are many options to be discussed to get to the bottom of this but the most important issue is coming to a consensus on the correct paths to strengthen our communities.

We have all heard the old stories either directly from or passed down from our grandparents or great-grandparents about how tough life was for them. Some picked cotton, some grew up on farms or in cities, etc. Either way, there was some type of struggle and the toys were definitely nowhere near as interesting and widely available as what is available today. There was a strong work ethic. Everyone had a role to play in the family, in school or whichever endeavors they may have encountered AND everyone was expected to not only do their part, but go above and beyond. More importantly, there was respect. Respect for elders, respect for peers, respect for authority and last but definitely not least, respect for oneself.

Neighbors would step in if your child did something they should not do. Neighbors meant more than the people you may or may not wave to in passing. Neighbors were more like a friend or trusted associate if not more. During good times and bad times, neighbors could be depended on for support. It is not a new concept. Over 2000 years ago it was written as a commandment in a book (the Bible, which also happens to be the BEST selling book of all time)  many of us live by “Love thy neighbor as much as thyself”. But this second commandment which is scribed as just as important as the first has been elusive to us.   It brings me to the Black Eyed Peas, “Where is the Love?”

I don’t need to contrast this with problems facing our communities as we well live them but let me ask you, when was the last time you invited your neighbor over to dinner or vice versa? Many of us may feel that we have nothing in common with our neighbors or that we do not have enough time to socialize with them.  Is there no understanding that these neighbors may have eyes and ears where you do not have them? Perhaps their children will be a signal to you about what is going on outside of your home that you did not pick up on from your own child? Yes, we all want to think that there is often a completely open line of communication with our children or the other adults they deal with on a daily basis, but oftentimes the lines are not as open as we would like to think they are and we find out about it too late. On the other hand, your child may be an indicator of what is going on around you and another family may be unaware of it for various reasons. It is common knowledge that is is often not what you know but who you know in this world that can lighten your load, or open doors of opportunity for you. Would you say that neither of these reasons, amongst others, are of enough value to you that you can not extend your hand over your white picket fence to your neighbor (that is to say that your life is so perfect that you are living the American Dream to the fullest) and spark up a conversation, invite them into your home or into your life and begin to share information? You never know, you just may find that job perfect for you or a loved one, an opportunity for you to help greatly impact the life of someone in a way you never imagined or even better, a friend.