My Challenge

I have a neighbor who annoys me.

Then W moved in two years ago with her family, I was hopeful and open. While I knew I would miss the neighbors they were replacing, those neighbors were just moving across town and I knew our kids would see each other and such. This new neighbor seemed fun and nice.

We made many efforts in those early months to get to know the new neighbors. Some things seemed odd to us, but we overlooked them. Over time, however, the odd and off things seemed bigger than we could overlook, and, well, we didn’t want to know them any more than we did. So we cooled our efforts.

Not that we are mean to each other or anything. We are cordial and smiley when we see them, and if they needed help, I would help. But they make me nuts, mostly around child rearing issues. Words that jump to mind when describing these people are presumptuous and entitled. Honestly, we avoid them. My kids avoid them.

Another neighbor and I have discussed this. While trying not to be overly gossipy, we did agree that there were some issues we have with safety, appropriate behavior, supervision and interaction with our kids. Each of us was a little relieved that we weren’t the only ones feeling these things. And neither of us feel we can approach W about our concerns.

This morning at church, I was helping a little girl from my class find the restroom when around the corner came W’s mother and the two kids, looking for Sunday School classrooms. I was surprised.

OK, I admit it. I was bummed. Church was one of the places in town I considered a refuge from that relationship. We see them at the bus, at school, at the grocery store, soccer. Everywhere, it seems. But not at church, until now.

My thoughts about W and her family turned less than charitable. I became a bit mad. Why did she have to come here? To my church?

Pretty quickly I stopped myself. It is not my church. It is the church that I attend and to which I am quite loyal. But all are welcome here. Including people I personally find annoying. If I truly believe that, then I must act that. I must follow through.

So I am concluding that this is my challenge. A reminder that I must be kind and loving and accepting – I must be Christian – in the face of what I might find annoying or upsetting. I must treat them as I want to be treated.

I must be better than I have been.

Wish me luck.