Since this week is Reflection Week for 52 Weeks of Neighboring, I figure it is only fitting that I reflect upon my own neighboring experiments with the weekly tips, as well! I hope these reflections prove honest and maybe even inspiring. I will reflect upon the tips from the last three weeks in October, the first of which was “Send a Trick or Treat invitation to the parents on your street.”

I must be honest that this experiment, though simple, was slightly uncomfortable at first. My family has now lived in our neighborhood for eight years, and we have never delivered invitations to welcome anyone to our house on Halloween. So, of course, I told myself ridiculous things like, “Why start now? My neighbors may just be confused.” I think these statements are easy to say. It often seems as if change is accompanied by feeling uncomfortable, but who says this is bad thing? In this case, me feeling uncomfortable allowed for others to feel comfortable, and I think that is beyond worth it! Let’s just say I am quite thankful I chose change on this one. I made a simple invitation, a picture of which I have attached, and then my sister and I enjoyed handing them out to our neighbors. Our neighbors across the street even said the invitation made their family’s bulletin board, a feat that they joked was not so easy to attain. All of this being said, guess what happened? We had an astounding number of neighbors come Trick-or-Treating at the Swanson house this year (especially considering the very cold Halloween night it was)! We made a fire and sat around it in our front yard, but there was no mistaking, the warmth of welcome is what warmed the entire eve!