I head down our road, take a right on Cottage Path, and walk until I get to Archers Lane. At that corner, there is a lovely, two-story navy home that I have passed by with car or by foot hundreds of times over the years. Recently I was on my way home from my walk, and the owner had oldies music playing out from his garage, “do you, do you, do you, do you want to dance?” The energy of their property felt happy, and it invisibly crossed over the street to me, putting a pep in my step.
There was a big pile of rich dark brown mulch sitting in their driveway, and methodically, both he and his wife were filling in their gorgeous, happy flower beds with it. Their yard always seems to be attended to with care and creativity, not fussy or overly managed, but cheerful and welcoming. His wife walked around through their white gate into the backyard and fiddled with their enchanting string lights to make sure they were just so. With their music blaring and creativity + life abounding, I smiled big and was inspired.
They have no idea that the way they were living in their yard was making an impact on a stranger like me walking by. The very essence of their vibe encouraged me to try to make my outdoor life a welcoming, hospitable, and a joyful one. We are never sure who is watching our lives and we question whether our lives matter or not. What difference do I make? Simply moving and being in your yard can be a witness to love, light, peace, and joy. When I watched them, my reaction was “I love their life, and they make me want to live well!”
I have spent a long morning homeschooling and I feel pretty tired. The weather is cooler and perfect today so I am going to slip out of here and head down Cottage Path, hoping that a stroll around the pond will energize me for the evening. After my walk, I plan on watering my outdoor plants, and sprucing up my back porch for dinner. I want the sounds of our dinnertime conversation and laughter to echo across the pond, bringing light and cheer to whomever may hear. I’ll plug in the string lights, light a candle, and queue some music to play, feeling a sense a kinship with the neighbors down the way that I have never even met. We are all living testimonies to truth, goodness, and beauty, even when we don’t realize it.
Off to walk (and maybe introduce myself?)
Aimee
What a lovely home and neighborhood you have. Yes, make sure you introduce yourself to the neighbors!!! Tell them that you enjoy their garden and the hard work that they have put into keeping the yard looking nice. I do that in our neighborhood, it sure encourages the neighbors to keep things clean. :) Sort of on the same thing as being neighborly is this thought I read from someone else...at Christmas time, they leave a note on the outside of the neighborhood mailboxes or front doors letting the home owner know that they appreciate when the house/yard is decorated with a Nativity set!