Category Archives: Stories

“Happy neighbors make you happy”

Posted on Wednesday, December 10, 2008 by • No comments yet

My neighbor Greg Fanslow posted this on Front Porch Forum just now…

Something happened to our outlooks when we moved to the Five Sisters last summer. The sense of community seems to make people happier and we literally felt like it was quite contagious. Now there is compelling scientific evidence to show that having happy neighbors is good for you.

Yesterday I came across a recent article in the British Medical Journal that analyzed data from a long term study of 5,124 people from Framingham, Mass. While a lot of previous studies have looked at links between happiness and genetics and socioeconomic factors, this study looked at how peoples’ social connections influence happiness.

And they found that the happiness of your next door neighbors is a stronger predictor of your own happiness than any other significant relationships. Incredibly neighbors have a bigger effect than spouses!

The study concluded that:
– If a friend who lives within a mile of you becomes happy, it increases your chances of being happy by 25%
– if your coresident spouse becomes happy, your chances increase by 8%
– if your sibling living within a mile becomes happy your chances increase by 14%
– if your coworkers are happy, it has no effect on your happiness.
– if your NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR becomes happy, your chances increase by (drum roll please….) a whopping 34%!

So that’s right. If you have a grumpy coworker, it might be a nice thing to try and brighten their day, but you won’t benefit from your efforts very much. On the other hand, if your neighbor is feeling down in the dumps, it’s clearly worth it to cheer them up!

All that said, in spite of the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence, I plan to continue being accommodating and cheerful with my wife, Yolanda– just to be safe.

For the full article, see: http://jhfowler.ucsd.edu/dynamic_spread_of_happiness.pdf

Greg seems like a fairly happy guy… good for me!  I’ll try to return the favor.

Front Porch Forum in Two Slides

Posted on Wednesday, December 10, 2008 by • No comments yet

Here’s Front Porch Forum boiled down to two slides…

“next Buddha will take the form of a community”

Posted on Tuesday, December 9, 2008 by • No comments yet

Janet, a Front Porch Forum member in Burlington, shared this quote yesterday…

“The next Buddha will not take the form of an  individual.  The next Buddha will take the form of a community; a community practicing understanding and loving  kindness, a community practicing mindful living.  This may  be the most important thing we can do for the survival of  the Earth.”  –Thich Nhat Hanh

I see that it’s all over the internet, but I can’t easily find the original source.  I seem to recall hearing Thich Nhat Hanh in an overheated and overflowing UVM gymnasium a decade ago.  Not sure why memories from age 12 are crystal clear, but those from 32 are so foggy.

Neighbors can be there through good times and bad

Posted on Monday, December 8, 2008 by • No comments yet

Not all Front Porch Forum stories are about good news.  From Joanna today…

A sad story, but Front Porch Forum made it just a bit less so.  Our cat disappeared on Halloween and we were worried.  A neighbor posted on FPF that they had found a cat matching Rinster’s description, which had been hit by a car.   The people who found him were kind, thoughtful, and understanding.  I am so grateful that we did not spend days or weeks wondering what had happened, and that we were able to mourn and bury him.  Thank you for being there.

Widening the circle of community

Posted on Sunday, December 7, 2008 by • No comments yet

Sometimes people use Front Porch Forum to stir up a sense of community where little existed before.  Other times it’s used in an area with well-established connectedness and mutual support to bring even more neighbors into the circle.

Heidi posted to her neighbors via FPF today…

We will be putting together and delivering the holiday boxes on Sunday.

You are invited to help!

Because we have always had such a generous abundance of donations, we have the resources to be sure that we cover anyone in our community who may be in need… Please remember, while many of us have jobs and/or steady incomes, several places have had lay-offs… and this has impacted people in our town.

Now about charity. The boxes are a gift from the community and we give them in this spirit. I speak from experience. Sixteen years ago in October, my husband was laid off from his job of almost 20 years. We had three boys, ages 3, 2, and under 1. To say it was a blow would be an understatement. He was also laid-up with hernia surgery. A car came up the driveway and two members of the fire department brought us a large box of food. We were astonished and a bit embarrassed. And so moved. We knew who was behind this and we were grateful for her work on the boxes and the kindness that was shown to our family. We also knew that our situation would change and that this was a gift.

Back to 2008…

And she goes on to describe what’s needed and how to participate.  Wow… what a priveledge for Front Porch Forum to be part of this incredible tradition.  We’re humbled… a great start to the holiday season.

Community More Powerful Than Locks!

Posted on Wednesday, November 26, 2008 by • No comments yet

On the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday, Hilary just posted the following to Front Porch Forum in Burlington’s Old North End…

Community More Powerful Than Locks!

Hi folks – With all this talk about bike theft, thought it would be a good time to share with you that my bike, which I reported stolen about a month ago, was spotted by a friend and successfully returned to me!  I’d also like to share how super supportive this community was in response–I received over 10 offers to borrow or keep spare bikes.  I feel very, very, fortunate to live here, and appreciate the ways we work together.  Thanks to everyone!

Another great example of how many of us are surrounded by inherrent goodwill. Regrettably, it mostly goes unnoticed and untapped.  Front Porch Forum is in a privileged position… to be able to help people help their previously anonymous and unknown neighbors… it’s hard to describe the impact of these small gestures as they accumulate.

A Beautiful Gesture… Happy Thanksgiving

Posted on Friday, November 21, 2008 by • No comments yet

Jess posted the following today to her 400-household neighborhood via Front Porch Forum…

ROOM AT OUR TABLE
Hi Neighbors – Did you forget to make plans for Thanksgiving? Plans fall through? Looking at a boring/lonely turkey sandwich? Have a friend in such a situation? Please consider joining us. We have a few (1-3) extra seats at our cozy table, a big turkey, lots of other yummy dishes, and a lot of friendship to share. Kids welcome.

Please join us in celebrating this season of blessings and renewal…give me a call or email…

We see so many wonderful postings flow through FPF that I get inurred… but this one gave me pause… what a beautiful gesture.  Happy Thanksgiving Jessica and family.

And the posting from her neighbor that came through at the same time made me smile…

QUAIL EGGS FOR SALE
My hens are laying more than I can eat! The cost is $3 for 9 eggs. The eggs are organic and local and they make a great addition to any dish… especially for Thanksgiving!

Orphaned Posting Seeking Parent

Posted on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 by • No comments yet

Our software hiccuped today and left a single tiny posting sitting on our doorstep with no identifying label.  Do you recognize this little baby?  Yours?

ANOTHER NEIGHBOR JOINS FORUM – I am excited to be a member of Front Porch Forum, and I’ve heard nothing but great things about this network!

Well, welcome mystery member!  And you’ll have to post again if you want to directly reach your nearby neighbors… sorry about that.

Election season swamping FPF…

Posted on Monday, November 3, 2008 by • No comments yet

I, for one, am looking forward to November 5… that’s right, the day AFTER the big election.  Front Porch Forum has been swamped with postings from citizens and elected officials alike… advocating for and against candidates and ballot measures.  The State Rep. race in Chittenden 3-04, the police station building site in South Burlington and on and on.

And I know I’m not alone.  Many of our subscribers love the political back and forth, while others are clearly fed up and ready to move on.  I got a lovely note today from an FPF member in South Burlington that was a pleasant surprise…

The other day, I decided to resist posting my emotional response to [a City Councilor’s] posting re. a police station on the Calkins Natural Area.  I was very angry, feeling that [he] misused a position of power to promote something that is very politically controversial.  I had considered using the FPF in the same way and decided that my neighborhood forum is a “place” for me to share and gather information on topics or issues that relate to our neighborhood and it isn’t a “place” for me to lobby my neighbors for one position or another. (Even though, our neighborhood probably has the most to lose on this specific topic.)  And… since [his] posting is out there, I may very well post my position, too.

Anyway, I want to say thank you for your commitment to FPF and what it provides all of us.  It is almost impossible in this era, to build a sense of “neighborliness”.  I’ve lived in my neighborhood for over 14 years and the FPF has introduced me to neighbors I would otherwise never know.

Sometimes, when we have responsibility for providing or “facilitating” a service and we have negative reactions to the facilitation, we wonder if it’s appreciated.  I want to tell you, it is.

Thank you for facilitating our ability to being good neighbors.

Don’t forget to vote on November 4!

Neighbors step up for lost puppy

Posted on Thursday, October 30, 2008 by • No comments yet

I was glad to read on an FPF neighborhood forum in Burlington’s New North End that woman who had found a lost puppy had found the owners.  Good news!

I did get a lot of responses offering help [from my Front Porch Forum posting].  Many people offered to take the dog in until the owner was found, others offered to help put up notices in the neighborhood and others gave support by offering food and such to help me while I looked for the owner. Using the front porch forum really brought the community together for a small little dog, that I truly fell in love with in just over 24 hours.  Thanks.

It’s a little thing… one tiny lost pup… but this kind of event, played out over and over starts to make a real change in a neighborhood… starts to enhance the sense of community, build the lines of communication, show what’s possible.

About Blog

Ghost of Midnight is an online journal about fostering community within neighborhoods, with a special focus on Front Porch Forum (FPF). My wife, Valerie, and I founded FPF in 2006... read more

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