Not long ago on a Friday I drove home after a long and tiring week of work and found my neighbor Queen bringing in my trashcans. While getting out of my truck Queen grinned sheepishly and told me I was not supposed to catch her in the act. This was a small deed of kindness on her part, but I gave her a big hug and thanked her for making my day.

In essence what made this act so meaningful was that my neighbor stepped outside of the confines of her parcel lines into a “front yard dynamic” where we could connect over something so simple. Had she not dragged in my trashcans, I would have just done it myself. But since she took the initiative to do something thoughtful for my family, an opportunity for connection emerged. The truth is that basic expressions of neighborliness like this serve as the foundation for finding treasure in the community - stronger relationships and a more connected neighborhood.

Over the past two years my tract has been rediscovering just how wonderful it can be to experience life together in the front yard. Come along for a glimpse into what has been taking place.

• Last year ten residents brought meals to a neighbor with cancer to help ease her burdens
• 30-40 neighbors painted a 3400 square foot section of neighborhood wall that was prone to tagging
• Residents went Christmas caroling on a flatbed truck
• Jamie & Ruth & the Scott Family landscaped two entrance corners to the tract
• Mark & Sarah started a monthly neighborhood prayer meeting
• Clark began a bi-monthly neighborhood walk
• Janel planned a neighborhood-wide garage sale
• 25 residents attended a meeting to discuss problems with the local park
• We had two American Idol BBQs on the night of the season finale in ’07 and ‘08
• We started a blog, website, email list, and an e-Group

Something is happening here. We are finding a sense of community that was once prevalent throughout our neighborhoods but seems to have been lost in the past few decades. Great neighborhoods are not about big and fancy houses, income level, or perfect lawns, but rather residents who believe in their community and take ownership for shaping the values of the neighborhood.

What sort of “front yard” dynamics would you like to see happen in your neighborhood?
 

Part III: The Starting Line