Side By Side Friends

The small hands reach out to each other. They grasp the hand of the other and pull each other tightly in a new embrace. Then slender arms hold the others close. Together as the breeze whispers through and around them they hold tightly to one another. Softly, with grace they cling, arm in arm. It is a quiet dance that goes on day and night for at least three months.

Meet our ‘Morning Glories’, the masters of climbing and intertwining. They are the ‘ballet flower’ of our yard. What grace and glory they offer our property.

We have waited for over a month to see the action begin, sometimes wondering if they would make it. My wife Alida had placed more seeds in the ground this springtime. They had also prolifically reseeded themselves from last year’s crop.

Every morning I check for new flowers. They shed all the blooms from the day before and then produce a brand new stock just for that day. This wall of Morning Glories will produce literally hundreds of flowers this summer.

But this is not the only dance that is taking place in our yard. Just 20 feet further down the walk way to the back yard two vines are playing with each other. One is a Trumpet Vine that is planted close to our garage and near the walkway into the yard. The other is our neighbor’s Grape Vine that is situated directly over the fence beside the Trumpet Vine. Both of these creatures are able to reach long distances from where they are growing to wherever they can find support. In this case they both have spanned a 5 foot gap and then latched on to each other firmly. This new union has produced a natural arch way above our back gate.

In one gardening shop I saw a sign that I intend to reproduce this next week. It states it simply – “Neighbors are side by side Friends”. Here in our yard the plants are making it clear that this is so true. They reach out to one another in a very natural way. They offer support and strength. They touch and entwine their graceful little arms. Should you every try to pull them apart it will not happen easily. Together their strength is amazing.

We have been blessed to be situated on this street – Western Avenue. On both sides of our home are wonderful neighbors. Each family is different from us. But side by side we have become friends.

To the north is Stewart and Lillian, we share a hedge and a row of Lilac Bushes. To the back of hedge we enjoy the view of their old apple tree that is full of fruit now. Over this hedge we enjoy catching up with what each of us do in our lives. I am amazed at the depth of our conversations that take place over the hedge.

To the south is Larry and Linda, we share a 6 foot high fence. Along this fence is the array of Morning Glories and the two vines. This fence is also a major squirrel highway. During the summer the squirrels struggle to get through the mess of little arms of each plant.

Neighbors are not always so good. Relationships are not always so easy and kind. Reports this past week from another friend of ours told the tragedy that happens when one neighbor offends another. Tempers flared over ridiculous things and relationships will never be the same again. Anger has torn any possible friendship of the past or the future.

In another situation the people that we know actually sold their house at a loss to remove themselves from the nightmares that they faced on a daily basis. Each time they came out or went in they were given glares from their not so “side by side friend”. It disturbed everything about their lives. If their kids set one foot on their neighbor’s property the door would open and words would be screamed at the offender. To have even a small party or group of friends over was not possible for fear of an offence that may happen to the miserable neighbor.

I cannot even imagine the nightmare of living with that kind of horror less than 20 feet away. Thank you God…for our neighbors.

In a few weeks time we will be having our annual Block Party in our driveway. Together the three sets of neighbors, north, south and middle, will host every other neighbor on our block. Together we will exchange our stories and ideas. Together we will support and encourage each other. I can’t wait for that day to come.

I wonder what you are doing in your community? How is your friend next door doing these days? Have you talked to them lately? They may be needing some help – or ready to help you?

“God… today I thank you for placing me here and now. I pray that you would bless by neighbors in whatever they set out to do. Help their families. And God if they need me to help them, show me how I can best do it. Thanks so much for this gift of side by side friends.”

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~