I am one of those people that is truly happy to be living in happy valley. I love everything about it, and yes I do think it is the best place on earth, why else would I live here?
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As everyone already knows Orem is full of "Mormons" this is one of the things I love most about my town. I'm not one of those people who think you really need to live in the mission field to appreciate the Mormon church or it's members.
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When I was raising my children I loved the fact that the schools here respected Monday Night as Family Night and didn't plan school activities on that night, I think it is wonderful that most of the retail businesses in Orem close on Sunday, I love the fact that my church is always within walking distance, I love seeing a Mormon church building on every block, I love having a Temple within 20 minutes of my house in any direction, I love being able to walk to do my visiting teaching, and I love the family atmosphere. I have enjoyed living in this town for more then 30 years. These are just a few of the great things I experience here in "Happy Valley.
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I do feel however that there are some interesting if not bad characteristics of many of us who live here. Here's what I mean.
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Today was a very busy and hectic day for me I had the painter, the carpet cleaners, the landscaper, and the spa maintenance men all at my house. I felt overwhelmed and a little grumpy with all the confusion going on around me. The doorbell rang for the umpteenth time and I thought it was one of them coming for their check, when I opened the door Brandon, the schwans man was standing there I really didn't want to deal with him too.
I thought to myself I wish I hadn't opened the door, he handed me the product brochure and I began, to place my order. As I was looking through the brochure, he said to me "you know my grandma lives across the street in the Ellis's basement apartment, do you know her?" I felt so ashamed of myself, because I didn't know her and I have lived in my home for 2 years. In fact I only know a few of those neighbors that live across the street, why you ask? because they are not in my ward.
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Because we have so many members of the Mormon faith in Orem, many times neighborhoods are divided by ward boundaries, and some neighborhoods are not even in the same stake. Brandon, the schawns man (I do know him quite well) said to me that his Grandma told him to tell me that she loved my yard and the night lighting on our steps, and then he asked me if I would like to walk across the street with him and meet her.
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Today I am grateful for Brandon, the Schwans man. If not for him I don't know how long I would have gone without getting to know my sweet my neighbor. We spent quite a bit time there just talking and getting to know each other, What a sweet and wonderful women she was. I kept on thinking "why did I wait so long to walk across the street and meet this sweet woman." this was something I should have done a long time ago.
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The lesson I learned, is that we (Mormons) need to step out of our comfort zone and take the time to get to know our neighbors that do not attend the same ward as we do, or that might not even be members of our religion. We are not to busy, and it doesn't matter that we are not in the same ward, we do share the same street, the same town, and the same neighborhood. We are missing out on so many good friendships.
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Do you know all of your neighbors?
3 comments:
I love this post! I feel the same way. Growing up in a family where my cousins were not LDS, I learned to respect other faiths and those that didn't practice any religion. My parents always know our neighbors, and I felt that I knew them too. Now, though, as an adult, it takes me a bit to get the courage to walk across the street and introduce myself to my non-mormon neighbors. Why? I don't know. Am I just scared? Perhaps this year as I bottle peaches, I will give each neighbor some fresh peaches so they can enjoy them, too. And then they will at least know who we are that live in the middle of the circle (with the yelling mom).
I absolutely agree with your post. It is not only a Utah Mormon thing, but it seems to be becoming an issue everywhere. We have no idea who lives next to us, although we have met one neighbor across the way. It is sad!
I must say that here in Arizona, people tend to keep to themselves. I myself only know really well, the neighbor across the street.
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