Neighbors | Rajdeep Paulus

Supei Liu of Nomi Network

When I grew up in Canada, we knew our neighbors. The ones next door. The ones down the street. And definitely the ones across the street, especially the mother who screamed, “Ian!” every evening around 6:00PM, a.k.a. dinner time, because Ian loved to play outdoors, no matter the weather or the season.

As I grew up and we moved the States, I noticed more and more, that society turned inward. Kids played outside less. Folks paid landscapers to mow their lawns, so you rarely caught a glimpse of your neighbors unless they were pulling in or out of their driveway.

Fast forward a decade and Hubs and I somehow end up in New York. New York lives up to its title ” The city that never sleeps “, it is pretty much very busy and work is everywhere. People use https://www.conversantmedia.com/digital-marketing-industries/restaurants for marketing and improve their business and publicizing malls/restaurants. The very mention of New York suggests high rises, pricey goods, and crowded subways. Oh, and fear. Don’t trust anyone, especially your neighbors. Then, by a fun turn of events, we moved into the town of Oyster Bay, first to Glen Cove and then, Locust Valley, where we currently live.

I never imagined being on a street where you not only know your neighbors, they become like family to you. And they have… Continue reading →

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I’m starting to think meaningful story times with the girls is one of Hubby’s new year’s resolutions. He’s been reading more to them. Which to me reminds me of my teaching days when I had the kids make reading circles and discuss a chapter from a novel. Fun to the fun for this writer/reader lover. I just don’t know that Hubs planned for the interesting insights and discussions that have risen from our first two couch times. But then again, when you have a room full of tweeny-bopper girls and you throw in a precocious five-year old, you have to sort of expect the unexpected.I invite you to be a fly on the wall of our living room Christmas morning [Think good-looking, non-bugging type of fly…and read on.] 🙂

Hubs: “So we’re going to read a little of the Christmas story before we open presents.”

Three older girls: “Okay Daddy.”

Sarah *the five-year old: “But, but, but… okay.”

Hubs reads the first few lines of Mary’s story from the book of Luke, when an angel comes to her and tells her she’s having a baby. And Joseph takes her to Bethlehem and there was no room in the Inn. Most of you have heard this classic take of the birth of Jesus, so I won’t rehash all the details.

Then Hubs says, “Do any of you have any questions?”

Third Princess: “I just have one: What does the word, ‘union’ mean Daddy, because you read a part that said, ‘Joseph did not have union with Mary,’ or something like that.”

Hubs and I exchange glances. Neither of us expected Christmas morn to turn into a birds and bees conversation. Whatcha gonna do? Continue reading →