Wisdom of Neighbors

Who is my neighbor?

This is one of life’s most important considerations whether you’re an adherent to the Christian religion, the Muslim religion, another of the world’s many diverse religions or even if you’re not an adherent of any religion.

Who is my neighbor? 

You’ve likely read or heard it articulated in some fashion that the world depends on you and me bring good neighbors not only to the full-diversity of our fellow human beings but also to life in all of it’s many varied forms. This is true.

Who is my neighbor? 

Equally true in my own experience is that every occasion that I consider the question and expand my awareness of the diverse forms of life who live near me, something vital happens; wisdom, wonder, and joy are given in new ways that I often had not anticipated. This is a great gift through which my own sense of belonging in this world is both deepened and expanded. 

Who is my neighbor?

For me, sometimes it’s a question to ponder while flipping through the pages of a field guide. Sometimes it’s a question to ponder while walking a wooded path.

In every moment in which I ponder the question, I find it meaningful to be as specific as possible in my response. This is a way of nurturing neighborly relations that gift life to our neighbors, life to ourselves, and hope for our global community.

Who is your neighbor?