A Story about a Neighbor

Yesterday I met a new neighbor who  was quickly revealed to be a kindred spirit, sharing much of what I value about cohousing.  She told me a story from her Islamic faith that resonated for me.

There was a man, the story goes, who was visited by his neighbor.  The neighbor had fallen on hard times and though he had tried to find a solution himself, was now desperate for a loan. The amount of money the neighbor needed to save his home was equal to everything the man had. After he’d given his savings to his neighbor the man’s wife noticed that he was upset. “Are you afraid he won’t be able to pay the money back?” she asked. “No, said the man. I’m devastated that my neighbor was in such desperate need and I didn’t know.”

That is what cohousing is all about.  It is about knowing our neighbors and being aware of their need.  It is also about believing and trusting in abundance. It is about investing in each other with our time, talents, and sometimes money without keeping score or worrying about what will be paid back.  It is about togetherness and care mattering more than fairness or repayment.

Cohousing is where we remember what the ancients have always knows, what all the major religions teach us. In my Christian upbringing it was “Love your neighbor.”

Whether or not you live in cohousing today, I hope you will take the time to know and love your neighbors.  I’m grateful mine are close at hand.

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