Friend + Neighbor = "Freighbor"

When I was a young child, I lived in a small midwest town, where neighbors looked out for one another and all the neighborhood children. The neighbor behind our house fixed our bikes, because he knew Dad was busy trying to start a new business and was putting in a lot of hours. Once an elderly neighbor beside us made cookies and brought them to me while I raced my Big Wheel up and down the sidewalk. Dad asked me if I'd thanked her. I was brought up with manners, and I had thanked her.

Then we moved to a small farm where Dad could also have his business. This was paradise for me. Trees to climb, a tree that held our tire swing, a playhouse, other farm buildings to play in, and fields to run in. We, also, had a huge wooden barn that had hand hewed posts and beams. It was solid, and housed our animals, along with lots of cats. The cats came from all over, finding shelter in the haymow, and food we'd put out. It was a place of happy memories for me. It was also another home were others looked out for us.

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This closeness and friendliness is what I've looked for as an adult, but for the most part haven't seen it.  I, unfortunately, have lived in a metropolis city, something I detested. Neighbors were just people who live around you. You didn't make friends, because you didn't know if they would rob you. City life was like living in a concrete asphalt jail. That's a heck of way to live.

I was deseperate to move to the country. I felt country life would bring me all the positive things I'd experienced as a young child. We have moved to the country, but the world has changed - some neighbors are not friends, and some have been quite nasty and mean.

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Thankfully, it is not all negative. This post is for all those people who still believe in looking out for your neighbors, checking to make sure you are okay, watching to make sure whomever is on your property is suppose to be there and not there to rob you, and not being afraid to call you or the police when something doesn't look right. These people are more than just neighbors - they are Freighbors which means friends and neighbors. And when you have these, it does make the world a better place. Thank you to all my freighbors!