52 Snapshots of Life: "Neighbor" and "Peace"

For this final post of the 2015 Snapshots of Life Challenge, I'm combining two of the words because I think they go together naturally. When Fred Rogers wrote his song about neighbors, he had such a genius for teaching tough ideas in the simplest way. No, he didn't live on the same street - and he was much older than his audience - but he still could be a neighbor.

I love the parable of the Good Samaritan for the same reason. In one deceptively simple tale Jesus taught that our neighbor isn't just the nice family next door or the people in our town who look just like us and share our culture. Neighbors look out for each other. They share. They help. Whether or not they agree on everything - or anything much.

The Good Samaritan by Van Gogh

The worst genocides in recent history began with hateful propaganda that caused peaceful neighbors to turn violently on each other. They forgot the years of friendship and peace. They forgot to be neighbors.

Photo Credit: theguardian.com

Everyone is our neighbor. And right there is the key to ensure peace. It starts in our neighborhood and in our town. Then, with the realization that we all are neighbors regardless of geography, politics, religion, cuisine, wealth or poverty, education, or any of the many differences between us, empathy and tolerance can grow. Those, I think, are the seeds of true peace. 

Photo Credit: thestar.com

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood,

A beautiful day for a neighbor,

Would you be my,

Could you be my,
I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you!
I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you!

Please won't you be

My neighbor?

Happy New Year from Toby and Vela and me!

I'm so grateful for my online neighbors, for my family, and for friends. You all remind me that we are connected no matter how many miles separate us. 
May 2016 be a year of happiness. 
Peace on Earth- peace in the neighborhood.

Is that a neighbor I see?!

Thank you to The Lazy Pit Bull for hosting the 52 Snapshots of Life Photo Challenge for 2015! You promised it would be fun 52 weeks ago, and it really was. I enjoyed seeing how others interpreted the prompts and challenging my own imagination.