Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 29, 2026
Neighbors and Neighborhoods 2026
I am writing this week about the ways both neighbors and neighborhoods have changed, never to return to the days of images and memories of our experiences often reflected in a TV series or movie. Beth and I live on a traditional block of 16 homes. In my youth I grew-up on a similar block of individual homes. When someone new, which was not often, moved on the block my mother would take cookies and say hello and welcome. Before the digital age we neighbors used what we had and knew to make connections.
The initial days of apartment construction has grown quickly to what is now blocks of 300 and 400 units, whether open to all ages or constructed and marketed to 55+ seniors. What are today’s rituals and practices of welcoming a new move in, saying goodbye to someone leaving, or inclusion of “neighbors” in social events or meeting at mailboxes. With busy lives the tendency is to isolate and live our lives apart from those around us. This tendency matches the decline in churches, civic clubs and professional associations.
Sunday Letter Questions: In your youth, how did you and your family meet and know individuals and families living around you? In what ways have you continued or changed these practices in your adult life? What would you say is your preferred “neighbor style” today?
When we returned to Ft. Worth and moved to our west side neighborhood five years ago, we walked the block, said our hellos, and invited everyone to a weekend cookout. Attendance was good. I was hopeful about our sense of neighborhood…but! Several homes became rentals with frequent move ins and move outs. Homeowners were busy with children and work. Older owners tended to isolate, showing little interest in knowing and being neighbors.
So, after many a conversation, Beth and I will once again walk the block this Saturday. Along with our hello, we will offer a small loaf of Zucchini bread and our contact information. Just doing what we believe is true about community. What would be a small next step that you could take to act on you believe in? Let us know. We support you and your efforts.
Roy, believing in our neighbors and neighborhood.
My mother did the same thing when a new neighbor moved in, she made cookies and she and I would deliver them. When I lived on Glenwood I knew all my neighbors mainly because Jim would talk to a post. I have lived here for 11 years and I know the neighbors next to me and wave to the others on the street but neighborhoods have changed. There is a sense of isolation and a little fear of the unknown. I liked it better the old way.
good morning Roy, great letter.. My parents didn’t own a home till I was 12. we moved the country as dad was an union asbestos worker. In this first home, mom and dad often worked two jobs and there was no time to socialize…. I wasn’t raised to know the neighbors.. this carried over to my first homes, working and kids took up most all the time and visiting on the street wasn’t common. This changed with my first home with Loo, in the hills outside of San Diego. She walked the dogs everyday and met so many people in the neighborhood. There were 4th of July and Halloween parties on the street and most everyone attended.. it was a new found joy! We brought this with us to Oregon.. i. know everyone on my block, both sides, a few just a friendly hello but many friendships have developed well beyond that.. People want to be friendly and want to visit , many are just shy, or simply don’t know how.. i find myself becoming much more bold to introduce myself and promote conversation and friendly karma…. much joy and very little disappointment..
Keep writing Roy! Happy Sunday to all..
My parents lived in the house I grew up in for from 1950 to 2014! Lots of “new neighbors”. When I was growing up in the house it was the neighborhood kids who made the first contact with the new family on the block. Did the new family has kids? Did they play ball? Cowboys and Indians? It was through the kids that the welcome was rolled out.
Today, it is much different. Rear entry garages are not the answer for creating community.
What is fascinating and distressing to me is the growing desire to urbanize every road and field in Santa Fe. There is massive construction of housing units that look like boxes. One wonders how much payola was distributed to get those permits and where is the water coming from. Here in our neighborhood many of us are objecting to paying road fees in order to pave the dirt roads. Our roads are private here. We are in the midst of change and doing our best to secure this area as rural. I see some of my neighbors while walking the pups in the AM. And we on occasion make a plan for dinner at Harry’s. It takes consciousness and kindness.
My father was the pastor of several small churches during my school years so there was no difficulty making connections. Between church, school, and sports there was never any down time. Now things are different! Living in one of those 55+ apartments I am making a concerted effort to be available when they are in need of someone to fill up a bridge table, or 42, or canasta. I guess you would say when I am available, I’m on call. Wonderful people who desperately need help in filling in the time. As someone said not too long ago at a poker table, “the days are getting longer, and the years are getting shorter”. Thanks for your letter.