There was a time when knowing your neighbours wasn’t an exception—it was the norm.
You didn’t just know their names, you knew their routines, their pets, their kids’ names.
You borrowed a cup of sugar or helped bring their bins in without needing to be asked.
There was a shared sense of community, a subtle understanding that even though you lived separate lives, you were still connected.
Fast forward to today, and many of us couldn’t confidently name the people living two doors down.
We pull into our driveways, close the garage behind us, and carry on with our lives in self-contained bubbles.
Conversations, if they happen at all, are brief and superficial.
We’re not necessarily unfriendly—we’re just… disconnected.
Technology hasn’t helped.
Ironically, in a world more connected than ever, we’ve lost many of the real-world ties that once grounded us.
Social media has become a substitute for social interaction.
Instead of catching up over the fence, we scroll past updates from people we barely know anymore—or never really knew at all.
Add to that the transient nature of modern life—renting, short-term leases, and job relocations—and it’s easy to see why neighbourly bonds have frayed.
People come and go, and with each change, the sense of permanence and familiarity weakens.
But what’s really been lost in the process?
Community.
Not the kind you follow online, but the kind that watches out for your kids, notices when you’re unwell, or stops for a chat when you’re pruning the front hedge.
The kind of community that makes us feel safe, rooted, and a little less alone.
And the good news?
Rebuilding that doesn’t require grand gestures.
A smile.
A wave.
A quick “how’s your week been?” on the way to the letterbox.
It starts small.
You don’t need to host block parties or organise a neighbourhood watch group (unless you want to), but being visible and approachable is a start.
Maybe next time you see your neighbour struggling with their groceries, offer a hand.
If you notice a package sitting on their doorstep for days, check in.
These aren’t monumental acts—but they matter.
The kind of world we live in is, in many ways, up to us.
If we want to live in communities that are kinder, safer, and more connected, we have to take the first step.
So… do we even know our neighbours anymore?
Maybe not.
But we still can.
Photo by David McBee