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Letters to Neighbors While the spirit of neighborliness was important on the frontier because neighbors were so few, it is even more important now because our neighbors are so many. —LADY BIRD JOHNSON
The search for harmony among neighbors is as old as human society. And there’s been no dearth of advice on how to achieve it. In a much-consulted etiquette book written in 1902, The Correct Thing, Florence Howe Hall writes, “It is not the correct thing to take offense if a neighbor states civilly that he would prefer your children should cease from breaking his windows.” Of course! Why didn’t we know that? Most troublesome issues between neighbors can be handled with common sense and good will. In Miss Manners’ Guide for the Turn-of-theMillennium, Judith Martin says, “The challenge of manners is not so much to be nice to someone…as to be exposed to the bad manners of others without imitating them.”
Write Your Neighbors to • • • • • • • • • •
alert them to neighborhood problems announce personal or business news complain (see COMPLAINTS) congratulate them express appreciation introduce your local business to them invite them to a neighborhood gathering (see also INVITATIONS) offer help send birthday or anniversary wishes (see ANNIVERSARIES) thank them for assistance or cooperation
How to Say It • Be certain that writing is the appropriate road to take. If you’ve already had several unproductive in-person or telephone discussions about the issue, it probably is. Dealing with a problem face to face 271