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Calendar Books by Allen James reading for October 17th, from The Journey: A Calendar Book,

"Be neighborly".

"Won't you be my neighbor." Well known children's television personality Mr. Rogers' singing of these words are ingrained in most of America's youth and middle aged adults as he would begin each show. But just what does it mean to be a good neighbor? What does it mean to really be neighborly?

Although the word ‘neighbor’ doesn’t mean the same thing it did seventy years ago (the last time the US went through a depression with the sort of long standing unemployment we’re facing now) now, even if our neighbors live next door or just down the street, we may not know their names or even what they look like, but we may be intimately familiar with the goings on in a household halfway around the world, through online acquaintanceship which grow to friendship.

When applying these tips to your life, use your own definition of neighbor. If you don’t like or want to help the obnoxious jerk two doors down, don’t feel obligated. However, if you want to, you might find underneath the obnoxious exterior is a big ol’ softy who is masking shyness – or he might be a jerk through and through. If you want to help a friend you’ve known for a decade on line, but lives clear across the country, fine too. Or if you want to help a total stranger who happens to live nearby or ‘lives’ in the same net neighborhood, fine as well.

For Physical Neighbors and the Neighborhood at Large:

If you know a neighbor is hurting financially, ‘just show up’ claiming to have done some de-cluttering, with clothes for a member of the family and/or canned goods – and make it clear they’re welcome to use them or pass them on.
Offer to help organize a garage or yard sale to raise a little money.
Hire the neighbor to do a little work around the house- cleaning or yardwork or something else- either one time or as an ongoing source of income.
(If justified) offer to write a letter of recommendation for employers or serve as a personal reference.
With financial difficulty often comes depression and difficulty coping- offer to help with housework or yard work if needed.
Take your friend out to lunch or dinner and a movie and pick up the tab.
Just hang out over coffee and talk. We don’t do this enough any more.

For Neighbors in your Net Neighborhood

Strike up a conversation through text or Facebook or whatever source you use. If it’s private, make sure you use direct messaging of some variety.
Organize a Pay-pal (or other online pay source) fundraiser for your neighbor. Make sure you verify the story first.
‘Listen’ well. Offer sympathy and offer advice only if asked.
Help your ‘neighbor’ find online and even local resources. Use the power of the online community (hive-mind) to help.

Being neighborly involves thinking of the other person’s preference before thinking of your own need to help. Sometimes people want companionship or friendship far more than they want or need material help. Pay attention and gauge the situation carefully, and then act.

Be neighborly, and always keep looking up.  : )   AJ

(amitheonlyonedancing.com)