The Hater

There always seems to be one neighbor, or even a whole family, close to where we live that absolutely strains our patience.  Years ago, across the street was what looked to be a nice young family; the husband worked as a manager in a supermarket, and the wife stayed at home with their toddler.

Fast forward several years.  No one knows what happened but the couple divorced.  Within a few months, the wife had lots of men visiting her at the house, one at a time.  One night, we heard a loud motor.  One man, with his truck, had a chain around one of her front porch posts and was backing up, trying to pull it off!

Now the child was about 5 or 6 years old.  She just stood in the driveway right out by the road, not dressed properly for the weather, and looked around for hours.  I also had pre-schoolers who I kept away from her.  I was a 'green' young mother who should have called Social Services for investigation, but I didn't know about such a thing at the time.  Not long after that, the woman and child moved away.  We neighbors were relieved.

Next in the house came a well-to-do family, new in town, just waiting for their big fine house to be built.  Their children were also young, of the same ages of the rest of the neighborhood children, and we all seemed to get along fine.  Then they, too moved.

The next occupants of the house were a real nightmare!  He was the known drug dealer of the county!  Everyone strictly avoided the family.  We were hoping they wouldn't last long and the didn't.  They moved away before the year was over.

FYI: How did everyone know everyone?  Those were the years before air conditioning, when families sat and played outside all spring, summer, and fall.  It was good to know everyone!  We also helped each other out quite a bit.

There was a very quiet man who should have worried us more.  He stayed to himself, never talked with anyone, and kept a neat yard.  Yet, one time, I watched out the window as some dogs dared to stray into his meticulously groomed yard.  He threw the shovel in his hand at the dogs and barely missed them!

Another incident I witnessed involved a big St. Bernard dog who lumbered into his front yard tulip patch.  The man ran at the dog and probably would have tackled him if the dog hadn't been faster!  I thought of this man as "The Hater."  The neighborhood kids avoided his house and family.  He, too, eventually moved out.

My present neighbors on the cul-de-sac are delightful!  I knew I would like the area when I looked out my window shortly after moving in 7 years ago.  The children were chalking up the whole street in front of the house.  They were having the best time.  And the mothers were out there keeping an eye on them.

It is the same now, also, only the children are older, most are in the early grades of elementary school, but we still have a few new little ones.  They ride their bikes, play ball together, run around in the summer rain.  And their mothers (and sometimes the fathers, too) are still out there watching.  They put a neon green sign at the entrance to the cul-de-sac when the children are out playing to warn motorists to go slow.  What a good idea!

Lord, I thank you for my neighbors, they are wonderful!  Please bless The Hater, wherever he is; bless him with experiences of love which may soften his hard heart!