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Kelly McDuff admits she was nervous to move with her fiancé into a home in a new neighborhood. But her neighbor, who she didn’t identify by name to protect his privacy, quickly made her feel welcome. He showed up on her doorstep with a cake and a note, welcomed her to the neighborhood, and told her he hoped she loved living in the neighborhood as much as he has for the last 52 years. The fact that the cake-bearing good neighbor is 98 years old made the encounter all the sweeter for Kelly.
In a teary TikTok video, Kelly shared her initial reaction to the “sweet interaction” as her neighbor walked across the street to his home. Sure that other people would appreciate his gesture, she posted the video saying that she “loved” her new neighborhood.
State of the Neighborhood
Viewers of the video were quick to point out how the warmth of her neighbor was so different from the way people usually behave. Kelly said that she remembers people being “neighborly” when she was growing up. However, today, a 2021 survey of U.S. adults conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Homes.com found that 25% of next door neighbors are involved in long-running feuds. Over 40% of neighbors try to avoid each other whenever possible.
Back to Kelly’s video post, one commenter stated that the cake-bearing neighbor had manners. Others said that what he did was the norm, once upon a time. Normal or not, it was enough to inspire Kelly to bake a lemon pie and bring it to him the next day, along with a note with her name and contact information on it. Once she gets a dining table, she’s planning to have him over for dinner.
Good Neighbors, Good Neighborhood
At The 100 Year Lifestyle, we often talk about the importance of relationships and community, and that includes good neighbors. Just a simple gesture from someone many decades older than her made Kelly feel a sense of belonging in her new community. Now only will her new, good feelings improve her mental and emotional health, but they are already spilling over into her attitude towards her other neighbors by making her a more considerate neighbor.
Clearly, age isn’t an issue when it comes to good deeds and making people feel welcome. Age doesn’t seem to be an issue for either Kelly or her neighbor. Theirs sounds like a wonderful neighborhood. To learn more, keep reading.
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