What is it to be a neighbor?
That was the question posed when a few of us met over drinks at a beautifully renovated American Foursquare right around the corner from our humble shop. Our guest was Missy Greis, Avenues resident and proprietor of local coffee shop, Publik Coffee Roasters.
Pleasantries quickly behind us, we got to it: Is a neighbor simply an accident of place or something more? We agreed that a neighbor is someone who lives near you and who may or may not share your values. Regardless, a neighbor exists without conditions – you cannot claim one person as your neighbor and another as not – and the act of being a good neighbor must always begin with us. Truth is, we are all everyone’s neighbor,
...and the ties that bind us – empathy, compassion, acceptance – are what make community.
Missy shared with us how, during the pandemic when all four of her shops were closed, she made sure every one of her employees were not cut off. That’s 64 humans to care for! If that’s not displaying good neighborliness, I don’t know what is. Those days also drove home how unpredictable life can be – a pandemic, an earthquake and a destructive windstorm in one year? These days we’re also feeling the importance of really slowing down and appreciating each moment.
And so, the afternoon was spent doing just that – This beautiful Avenues home offered such a space to slow down and enjoy one another’s company.
