Won’t you be my Neighbor?

Rainy days have us thinking.

Early on, we wrote a post about a lesson from Mr. Rogers. It likely betrays us a bit that we grew up in a generation that looked to a mild mannered, cardigan wearing, Presbyterian minster for life lessons, but here we are.

In our earlier post we recalled that after the tragedy of 9/11 Mr. Rogers we should, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

You can find the helpers in our community too. Neighbors who fight fires, teach school and our patrol streets. And there are helpers who helped to write the new zoning codes. All those volunteer citizen committee and council members who even today are helping to make Harbor Springs special...they are all the helpers we need to keep our community special.

From the beginning, this effort has been about trusting our neighbors. Having faith in those who put in the time and the effort to update our codes.

Mr. Rogers was always thoughtful. Each show began with him welcoming us by declaring, “Hi, neighbor!” Not friend, not boys and girls. He called us neighbor.

Neighbor is a very particular thing in the context of a community. Neighbors are extensions of family based on proximity not blood.

It is our neighbors we greet across the fence. The ones whose place we look after when they are gone. We pick up mail and share keys. They lend us tools and we bring them meals when they are struggling.

We have tried to answer each complaint and continue to try and inform everyone about what the new zoning code does and does not do. But ultimately it is not particularly about the details of the new code. It is about trusting and supporting our neighbors.

It may be raining today, but in Harbor Springs, it is always a beautiful day in our neighborhood.

Thanks for being our neighbor! Lil’ Nubbins helper stickers are available at the Hanni Gallery. Be sure to drop by and say “hi” to Molly who was nice enough to print them up.