This story disturbs me

I saw this in the newspaper yesterday

Even though it is so disturbing, I hope it gets people to reflect on their relationship with their own neighbors. Scott and I have always had some great neighbors. Remember Bessie? She still lives all by herself on Floradora. I love Bessie. She was a great friend. And I loved that at 93 she is still fiesty enough to shoot her potato gun at cars that go down the road too fast. I hope whoever lives next to Bessie watches out for her.

I'm thankful for the friendship we have now with Sergeant Rick and Linda next door. (this is what Em calls them.) I appreciate that we look after each other, and know we can count on them for silly little stuff like collecting our mail and watching our house when we are out of town, and they can count on us for the same. I enjoy the weekend chats we have on their deck when I pop over to say hello while Emily is taking her nap. They are great people.

But there is a house across the street with a boy just a year older than Emily, and even though I've talked with the mom a couple of times, we really don't know much about them. I know she just had a baby three weeks ago. Seems like she and I would have much in common, however life sometimes prevents us from getting to know the very people who reside beside us. I think I will make a point to go over and say hello... maybe bring some cookies or something and congratulate their new baby.