Neighborhoods

Everyone's neighborhood is different; some are big and some small. Some are close enough to have potlucks and some barely make eye contact when they pass by each other. Whatever kind of neighborhood you live in, it is important to how you are raised and grow up.

Some neighborhoods aren't close. They all live and spend their time in their own respective houses, play in their own yards, and maybe smile when they see each other as they walk by. As they wave they may wonder what that guy's name is, and maybe wish they knew it a week later when they need just one cup of sugar. These kinds of neighborhoods are good for some people, who are more busy and would rather be left alone and do as they please.

Other neighborhoods are the opposite. They see their neighbor outside and go out of their way to go say hi, ask how they are, and how about the family? There might be one night a month or maybe even a week where the neighbors gather at one house and eat pizza together, joking around and asking the kid's how school is going.

In my neighborhood when I was young, it was almost like having three sets of parents. When we got together in the summer nights, the kids would go hunting for lightning bugs while the adults sat around a fire talking. It didn't matter who it was, if one of the kids did something wrong that needed to be  punished, one of the adults would yell, and it didn't matter if it was their kid or not. I spent many days in my brother's room with my neighbors playing on our gameboys and later, our nintendo DS.

After everyone started to grow up and grow apart, we are still physically close and keep in touch. It's nice to see Paul walk up to the hill behind our house to play with his airplanes, and talk to Harvey, the guy who quit smoking cold turkey a few years back, and who would do anything to help someone.

What you neighborhood was like growing up greatly affects you. Some people live in neighborhoods that mostly include older people, and are used to having people around all the time to look after you. Others live in an area with a lot of kids, and are used to always having someone around to play with. (404)