A Recipe for Friendship: Flour, Sugar, and Good Neighbors
Next door or in the general area around you, live your neighbors. Unique people who have chosen to live in the same area as you. That’s pretty cool! Sooner or later, you are going to meet the neighbors. Here I will mention that I have a ‘gift’ when it comes to meeting people. I think all my neighbors agree. My ‘gift’ is my wife. She has the gift of cooking/baking. Many people are happy to see her bringing a plate of goodies; cookies, cakes, cinnamon rolls, leche flan, etc. So when it’s time for me to meet the neighbors, that means it’s time to take a plate of goodies over and introduce ourselves.
The first meeting of the neighbors doesn’t happen often, but over the years of living in the same neighborhood, there is some turnover, so to speak. We have been pretty successful at getting over to visit new neighbors before they get to us. Our plate of goody visits happen when my wife gets into her baking groove. She knows what she is doing in the kitchen and has her plan organized in her head as she moves, from mixer to baking dish to oven to cooling rack, but with three different recipes being made at the same time. It’s pretty amazing. So, depending on when the ‘mood’ hits, that’s when the plates of goodies go out the door to our neighbors.
The neighbors dish it out as well! I got two surprises on my steps just the other day! It was pretty nice! In fact, over the years, I have received some extra special treats. Moose steaks really stand out. Eggs… I wasn’t going to mention the eggs because it seems like boasting, but I have some really great neighbors. Gnomes, they trickled in and now I have a small village. Freeze-dried candies. Ornamental gourds. I could go on, but I want to tell you about timing.
Timing can be very important. You will want to combine it with the technique of personal presence. Let me give you an example. I have a neighbor that makes great toffee. She does this during the Christmas holiday season. So before she makes the toffee, I take a plate of cheerful desserts over to her house when I know she is home, so that she sees my beaming smile at her front door. This is not a moment where you want to remain anonymous! I’ll tell you something else… as good as the toffee is, she does a peanut brittle that cannot be beat!! And if I play my cards right with this information that I have gathered and kept secret until.. this… very… moment… Y’all better not put my peanut brittle in jeopardy
Neighbors are great in other ways. Sometimes they need someone to feed an animal when they are out of town. Sometimes you need someone to help you out. My neighbors have helped me with some tree trimming, rock hauling, gardening (I have gotten some great pepper plants in exchange for tomatillos that grow like weeds in my garden), fertilizer, wood chipping, getting a calf, reusing silage plastic for gardening, and you know what? I sure have some great neighbors.
That is my take on neighbors. Be nice. Take them goodies. Lend a hand. Think kindly of them. As the years go by, the neighborhood becomes sweeter!
Did you know there is a psychology to doing favors? It’s called the Ben Franklin Effect. Ask your neighbor to do you a small favor.. “Can you hold this for me while I tie my shoe?” Or “Can you help me move this rock in my front yard?” The thinking is that they do favors for people they like. So doing you a favor means they like you. Another effect is that if you do them a favor, they ‘owe you one’ and may avoid you. However, if they have done you a favor, they are less likely to avoid you.
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