I recently had a conversation with the grandparent of a former student about the moment I realized I had become “old.” When I was growing up, the two key indicators that you had grown old were a dissatisfaction of “popular” music and a distrust or dislike of new technology.
For me, my sign of age came in the form of the automatic van door. The school where I work has a carpool line where another staff member and I greet the arriving students with a good morning while opening their car doors. But, then came my pseudo-arch nemesis, the automatic van door. I’m terrified of breaking one of these things! This has caused an awkward delay as I try to determine if it is an automatic door or the traditional one that smaller kids need my assistance in opening. One day I’m sure these will become commonplace and my concerned delay will no longer remain necessary.
The reason I share this story is because of what came next. That kind hearted grandmother, who didn’t laugh too hard at my silliness, shared a similar story. She has often been asked, what one technology do you think changed the world the most in your lifetime? Her answer, the garage door opener.
Surprised, I listened. It seems she attributes the decline of community and neighborhood friendliness to the garage door opener. She explained that before this automation people would get out of their cars and chat with their neighbors for a few minutes before opening the door and heading in. She laughingly explained, they would even wave and chat for a few minutes with neighbors who were not their “favorite.” After the garage door opener, people could enter and leave their houses without ever stepping outside or saying hello.
I thought of this story again when I saw the picture Marya posted on Facebook. Beechview is an amazing neighborhood with an incredible sense of care for its neighbors. In fact, we have more than six different community organizations all dedicated to some aspect of improving Beechview. What I found interesting was almost all of these also included the desire to work collaboratively with neighbors and other organizations in their mission statements.
As I read over that photo guide of community one more time, I was excited to see that I could check many of the items off the list today and even more if I included yesterday’s Pretty Up Beechview clean-up. We had a great group and even met some new friends who had seen our flyer in the Beechview branch of the Carnegie Library. I also met a few neighbors along the way. The shouts of “Thank you,” and the excited waves from neighbors were incredibly encouraging.
I am proud to live in a neighborhood that has not lost its sense of the importance of community. So as I sit outside, on my swing, not watching tv, and listening to the chickens, I look forward to the next Pretty Up Beechview public gardening on June 26th.
I hope to meet many more neighbors because as a Beechview’er I know that my world doesn’t end at my front door…that’s just where it begins!