How do I love my neighbour?

Where my immediate neighbours are concerned I don't say much to them, although I do tend to say 'hello' when I see them. Those just a few doors away I have hardly, if ever, spoken to, but to a fair extent this is because they are busy and/or private people and I respect that fact. It is also true that there are times when I'm too busy to stop and chat long or I'm preoccupied. On balance though, I think the neighbours are happy with the way things are. These days, in this part of the country at least, most people don't want you popping in for a chat uninvited and invading their personal space. On the other hand, there are times when it is good to be able to take time to listen to people and really hear what they are saying, when that is what people want from us.

When I consider my neighbours further afield the impact my lifestyle might have on them can be unexpected. It also seems that to live a 'normal' life in 21st century Britain is bad for many of my neighbours. This causes me another dilemma as I don't want to live off the exploitation of others or in a way that is bad for their way of life, but equally I don't want to be strange, stand out from the crowd or live in a way that stops me enjoying the benefits of being alive in 21st century Europe.