Two Minutes Du Jour

When my daughter was almost six months old, we moved from our Minneapolis warehouse district apartment to a tri-level split in the suburbs. I was still adjusting to being a freelancer and a new mother, so I was a bit lonely.

We moved in just before Christmas, and a particularly cold, snowy winter kept us inside. From the kitchen window, I’d see neighbors coming and going, but that was it—until early March.

It was “warm” by Minnesota winter standards, and to my delight, two kids were playing in the backyard next door. I pulled on my coat and boots, ran outside, and called, “Is your mother home? I’d like to meet her.”

Minutes later, Denise stepped outside, baby on her hip, toddler trailing behind, coat haphazardly draped over her shoulders. With four kids under the age of five, her hands were full, but she welcomed the introduction.

A few weeks later, they hosted a St. Patrick’s Day party where we met more neighbors. Friendships grew, and when they moved back to Washington, D.C., in 1991, we threw a going-away party that started sophisticated but ended with a shortage of ice and, if I recall, some tabletop dancing. We loved exchanging holiday cards for years, watching the kids grow up from afar.

When we moved to a new neighborhood in 2005, I wondered if we’d find such wonderful neighbors. We did.

More recently, a broken earring led me to reconnect with my current next-door neighbor. Sarah used to make jewelry, so I messaged her, and sure enough, she could fix it. What followed was a series of conversations—catching up on life, swapping neighborhood news, and genuinely appreciating each other.

Another neighbor has since moved but has inspired our remodeling project. Over coffee this morning, we caught up on our sixty-something spouses, our adult kids, the world … and yes, cabinetry, area rugs, paint colors and home decor.

Why This Matters

Lately, fewer people are making the effort to know their neighbors. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 57% of Americans say they know only some or none of their neighbors, a number that climbs to 72% among people ages 30 to 49. Most people—58%—don’t spend time chatting or hanging out with those who live around them.

Yet research shows that strong neighborhoods improve our health, happiness, and even longevity. Knowing your neighbors can mean:

• Safer communities – In tight-knit neighborhoods, crime rates are lower.
• Happier aging – Older adults with strong neighborhood ties report greater psychological well-being.
• More resilient communities – Well-connected areas suffer fewer losses during tragedies and disasters.

And while our screens and busy schedules make connecting harder, we’re still twice as likely to chat with neighbors in person than online.

Make the Effort

These days, people don’t always know their neighbors, but whether it’s a wave, a quick hello, or the occasional chat, neighbors are gems. You don’t have to be hang out together all the time, but making the effort is always worth it. And sometimes, a simple introduction—or even a broken earring—can be the start of something special and a relationship that will endure in the years ahead.

Two Links Du Jour:

How to Know Your Neighbors – The Atlantic

The Power of Knowing Your Neighbors – Axios