"Community"

Thinking about the past, the present and pondering the future

A friend of mine brought up how people take up the whole sidewalk forcing others walking toward them off into the grass or street. Also today, as I was helping decorate the office for Halloween. We were talking about how kids have more school-sponsored Halloween events. I believe that they are connected.

When I was a 8 or so, we had an elderly couple as neighbors. They were the kindest people. Every so often, especially in the summer, they would invite a couple of the neighborhood kids inside their home for ice cream. And, as much as we were told to take our candy to the police station to have it X-ray'd, we found lots of kind people in our neighborhood who actually enjoyed kids in costume coming by on Halloween to get candy.

Now-a-days, I see less and less of this. I think it's because, for one reason or another, people don't stay in one area anymore, and they are used to the abundance of indoor amusements.

New strange neighbors move in.....Well-liked and trusted neighbors move away...All the while, we stay inside watching TV, playing Xbox or Playstation and surfing the net. Ever fewer bowling alleys, skating rinks, drive-ins, community carnivals, or anything else that requires socialization with ones neighbors. We've closed our 'inner circle" from our communities to just ourselves which creates selfishness instead of helping a neighbor or cause.

Also, the academics at the university speak about the 'me' generation, where it's not about working hard for ones degree, but about what the university can do for them. I understand that I was there to learn and to improve myself even if it does cost a bit of money, but I am also beginning to understand why the current generation is so (individually) inward facing, as I find myself to be a majority of the time.

As I see how things are going, or trending...I have to ponder...I hope this isn't the way it ultimately turns out to be for future generations.