Connections Matter

The older home next to mine in NW Indiana had been on and off the real estate market for nearly a decade. So, when a couple whom I know decided to purchase it, I suspected that a major remodeling project was in their future. One that would also affect me and the other homeowners on our block. 

In the fall of 2021, contractors and tradesmen descended upon our neighborhood, parking construction vehicles wherever an opening appeared. Sometimes, their efforts blocked driveways, alleys, and street corners. And every now and then getting onto the jobsite meant hijacking an open driveway when the owner was absent.

While wintering in Florida, my driveway was one of those taken over by the neighbor’s construction project. I returned in the spring of 2022 to find several large pickups parked bumper to bumper on the apron of my garage, effectively blocking access. When I drove around to the front of my home, there were trucks blocking the driveway entrance, too. As I sat there puzzling the situation, the homeowners from next door ran over, apologized, and had the vehicles relocated. As I chatted with them, I offered that they could continue parking on my property as long as the entrance to the garage remained unobstructed. This gesture felt like the neighborly thing to do. Over the subsequent months, there was only one major transgression, and it was resolved without a fuss.

Fast forward six months to Christmas 2022 when a bomb cyclone brought fierce winds and blowing and drifting snow across the country. The temperatures in the Midwest dipped into the negative digits. On Christmas Eve, as my son and daughter prepared appetizers and drinks, water trickled from the ceiling fixture above the kitchen island. An untimely and unwelcome scavenger hunt ensued, revealing a frozen floor drain adjacent to the second-floor furnace. We cranked up the thermostat, left the mechanical room door ajar, and jimmy rigged catch basins, hoping that this would resolve the issue. 

Two days after Christmas, I awoke at 2:45 AM to the sound of gushing water. A copper line had burst in the ceiling in the back hallway. Water sprayed from the can lights like fire hoses, cascaded along the floor tiles, and dumped into the finished basement below. As I scrambled to locate the main turnoff valve, water saturated drywall, insulation, tile, and trim, and then it snuck into the smoke alarms, triggering an emergency call to the fire department. Hours later, as I lay in bed contemplating what steps to take and who to call the next morning, I thought of my neighbors next door. They had just completed their remodeling project. Perhaps their plumber and contractor could assist me in sorting out the disaster. 

Within forty-eight hours, the broken pipe and two frozen drains were repaired, and I’d hired a remediation firm to dry out the wet areas. My neighbors’ contractor, Eric, determined the cause of our leaks. Strong winds had opened an area inside the eave and blown out the insulation. Eric promised to begin the repairs on the following day. 

When I offered to pay Eric for his time and materials, he shook his head. “You allowed my construction team to park in your driveway for months. It’s the least I can do!”

I looked at him open-mouthed. “But I’d really like to pay you. This is going to be costly!”

Eric smiled, said nothing, and climbed into his truck. As he drove off, I swiped at the moisture dampening my cold cheeks. My “good deed” last spring had required little effort on my part, and it cost nothing. Now, six months later, when I was in desperate need of a favor, goodwill had been paid forward. 

Society’s ability to prosper is based on our ability to forge human connection and to develop meaningful relationships. But connecting with our fellow humans is not about making idle conversation, it’s about demonstrating genuine interest, showing compassion, and helping others to better their circumstances. Imagine the possibilities if each of us executed unsolicited favors without any expectation, and if our charitable acts were paid forward with yet more goodwill.

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