Some of our best friends live in Shady Hollow, the neighborhood we’ve spent the last five years enjoying. They live on a street where everyone knows each other and each evening the kids play outside for hours and the parents stand around chatting and maybe sipping a cold beverage or two. When a vehicle comes around the corner, everyone yells “car!” and all the kids know to scatter to the curbs and yards for safety. Then seconds later, they take over the road again and the evening slips into night and their bonds have grown that much tighter. Despite mosquitos, humidity and the occasional bike crash, they eagerly participate in this daily ritual and we envy them for it.

Across the street from our old house lives a young family–cat lovers, homeschoolers, the dad is a musician, the mom bakes incredible cookies (and you all know how I consider baking an important friend trait). But alas. Besides just chit chat or waving as we raced off to whatever pressing obligation awaited us, we barely got to know them. Then PN boldly walked across the road one day, grabbed their little boy by the hand and made a friend. The two of them spent our last days in Shady Hollow living out of each other’s pockets. They tied a kite to a wagon and cruised the hill time and again. Their budding friendship drew RR and I out and soon the mom and I were sharing stories and laughing in my kitchen.

Then we moved into our camper and drove away.

Why in the world did we wait so long to make friends with people so clearly meant to be on our Christmas card list? What held us back? Shyness? Laziness? Busyness? No excuse really quite covers it. We’ve voiced our regret to this family and we hope to grow a relationship with them despite the fact that we no longer live on their street. Believers are supposed to go out into the world and share Jesus and be friends regardless of differences or similarities. Yet, we ignored our Savior’s mandate and missed out on yelling “car!” with our new friends while our kids raced in the street separating our properties.

I’m sorry we did that. We will not repeat this mistake next time.