The Neighborly Way

On blogging and the DIY approach to finding your neighborly way.

Upon graduating from college, you can choose your own adventure:  get a job, get more education, or get a life. Unsure of which option to choose, I began to blog as a way of exploring ideas and piecing together my own style of adventure. Over the course of three years, six jobs, and 68 blog posts, I learned a lot outside of the classroom while my husband, Thad, went through medical school. My interest in this project was to learn to live and love well in a neighborly way.

We spent time seeking ways of giving–to friends, foes, colleagues, classmates, men, women, and children. We began by opening our home to others, planting a garden and sharing its wealth, reducing our impact on the planet, and reaching out to those around us. Through giving, we gained meaning, insight, inspiration, and a connection to unexpected people and places. During the time of The Neighborly Way, we began to search for a place where we could give and live–a neighborly place–and in July of 2010 we moved into our new neighborhood.

I believe a neighborhood is a place where people can work, play, and love as part of a community. It is not always easy to find this–sometimes it’s nearly impossible. For some, finding this place may even involve thinking creatively and becoming a neighbor before the place where they live becomes a neighborhood. For others, finding a neighborhood may be a matter of gaining new perspectives of old places. There is much to learn about the art of loving locally and the journey of becoming a good neighbor is far from over. So, even though this project met its end, you can stop by anytime for a cup of tea and we can talk and share the discoveries, challenges, and surprises of the neighborly way of life.