I have been trying to connect with my neighbors for a long time. Some live in newer homes than ours and their driveways are at the back of the house. Our home has a street level porch with the driveway entry at the front. It seems we come and go at different times than our neighbors and we also live on different levels therefore we seldom meet in the middle to find an opportunity to chat. It doesn’t help that with the street noise I can’t hear much during an outdoor conversation but I am not letting that stop me.
For the first time since our neighbor to the north moved in we were able to have him over for lunch. He lives out of state but comes often enough that this luncheon was overdue. My husband, Neil, and I enjoyed the time and got to know him much better by sharing a meal and conversation. It was such a pleasure.
When I first started writing these columns a few years ago I mentioned that meeting the neighbors was one of my goals and it has taken a few years to get this far so I’m not setting any speed record. Some neighbors may even move before I have them over for a visit but at least I can say I have finally started the process.
As Neil and I were looking down our street I was counting the homes where only one person lives or has their vacation home and I decided we need to have a backyard BBQ for this particular group. That way we can all meet and get to know each other better.
This goal came about when we were chatting with our neighbor over lunch. He started telling a story about another neighbor named Charlie. We have lived here over 30 years and Neil and I don’t know anyone named Charlie in our neighborhood so we asked him to be more specific about which house is Charlie’s. When he pointed across the street I knew then that we all needed to meet each other sooner than later because we know that man as either Fred or Ed not Charlie. How sad that none of us are sure of his name. That did it.
Today when one of the neighbors we know casually was walking her dogs I suggested a backyard BBQ so we could all meet each other and she was thrilled. She told me she went to school in town and hardly knows a soul around anymore. So, now we are on a mission to set this up. We have at least three people that come and go on weekends so we will try to pin down a good date to meet.
To know someone you have to be able to converse with them and although our backyard is quieter than our front porch, if a lot of people are speaking I can’t understand much. Thankfully I met another new person just last night who had the answer for me.
We were attending a Prayer and Praise event held outside at our church and the visiting pastor’s wife sat in the beach chair next to me. When I explained I was almost deaf she told me she has been very deaf since a childhood disease caused her hearing loss. She was so kind as to introduce me to a couple of apps she uses on her phone that produce real time written words on the screen as others are speaking. Wow, I can really take advantage of that. Crowded spaces make it particularly hard to hear but if I set my phone on the table between myself and another person I can now ‘listen’ with my eyes to what I miss with my ears.
I am really excited about trying out these apps and seeing if I will now understand people talking a lot better. If I miss a word I will be able quickly peek down and see what I missed. This has made me more confident and now I look forward to having this BBQ soon and have already started the planning.
The dear pastor’s wife told me she feels it is her ministry to share what she has learned about living life with almost no hearing and so as she was choosing a place to sit last evening she looked around and was moved to sit beside me. God blesses me in so many ways!
I’m finally on the right track now to understanding people’s words more clearly and I am looking forward to really getting to know my neighbors better at our future BBQ. Whatever the date I am asking God to bless it with fellowship and good conversation. Conversation that finally I might be able to hear!
ED. NOTE: Amy Patsch writes from Ocean City. Email her at writerGoodGod@gmail.com.
