Quick, name a devastating flood that happened in the US recently. Did you say Texas? Did you know there have been seven fatal floods and flash flood in the US since the Guadalupe River valley was flooded on July 4. There were another three in the two weeks preceding the Fourth of July Texas floods.
Indeed, the Texas July 4 flood was the most devastating, but to those who lost loved ones in Maryland, West Virginia, or New Jersey, devastation is not a relative term. Why do we not think of these or those in. North Carolina, New York, or New Mexico.
I though about all these places because of local flooding that has been happening here in my neck of the woods over the past few weeks. We’re sort of used to them. We see flash flooding routinely, and though not as often, river flooding occurs regularly also. We haven’t had a deadly flood for a few years. Those in my neighboring states of West Virginia, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland can no longer say that.
I have my thoughts about the dearth of information surrounding these floods when there should have been a flood of information. Let’s stick with that. Considering these areas will not have emergency funds funneled to them by our benevolent leader, we bear the responsibility to care for our neighbors.
In yesterday’s Uplift we talked about what it means to be a neighbor, to share your humanity, to let your goodwill flow, it was British theologian Richard Whatley who spoke of neighborliness as “an ongoing flow of goodwill.” He identified five steps to being a good neighbor: be generous, be ethical, be fair and honest, be kind constantly, and be peaceful.
Is a neighbor just the guy next door? Your neighbor is your fellow man who deserves your neighborliness. How do we that? We have suggestions in Will you be my neighbor?
The Real Reality Show Blog 
Good point about how neighborliness is going to have mean interaction if we’re to survive with less and less information about weather events. Considering I barely know my neighbors because that’s the kind of neighborhood this is, we’re doomed. 😒
Ally, I think many neighborhoods are like yours. I know the people next door but I’ve never seen the folks across the street. Then on the other hand, there’s no requirement that you have to know your neighbors to be neighborly in times of need.
“An ongoing flow of goodwill…”
I like that, especially the “be kind constantly”. I agree with Ally’s comment, too. As much as many of us aspire to those values, in some communities (for all sorts of reasons) people fall into privacy and protect mode and don’t associate.
The flow of goodwill is such a great phrase. I wish I could take credit for it. I’ll take credit for finding it! Now hear me out in this. Is it perhaps because of the seemingly increasing number of people falling into the privacy and protection mode is why we have to be constantly reminded to love your neighbor? Just a thought.
I’m with you…I think there’s a lot of “you might be a threat” thinking that precludes connecting and leaning into the basics of being human – those “neighborly” tendencies that most folks have. 😞