Member-only story
The Gentle Art of Waving to Neighbors
I feel like I’ve found my way back home.
Morning arrives at Lakeside Manors. I step into my athletic shoes, put on my sunglasses, and fail, as I often do, to comb my hair. Then I’m out my front door for a vigorous walk before I start my day.
On the streets surrounding my house, I see others. Some, like me, are out for their morning walks, jogs, or bike rides. Others are watering their flowerbeds or wheeling their trash to the curb. Some are pulling out of their driveways, heading for work.
Every time I see someone, I wave.
When I look at my neighborhood, I’m reminded of the song that was so much a part of my childhood: the Monkees’ Pleasant Valley Sunday. Like Pleasant Valley, Lakeside Manors is composed of houses that look pretty much alike. All of them were built within the last 10 years using the same blueprint, with only minor variations in the floorplans. Most of the homeowners are lawn-proud, devoting themselves to landscaping that is both aesthetically pleasing and carefully executed according to HOA standards.
Recently, I experienced three major life changes. After being for a decade single, I got married. Then my husband and I bought a new house at Lakeside together, and I moved from the city to the…
