Know Thy Neighbor (and how they can improve your life)

After recently resolving longstanding argument with my neighbor, I appreciate this article more than ever. AARP Peter Lovenheim has a great piece on the importance of neighbors and how they can be allies -- especially after retirement:
A few years ago, I decided to make a concerted effort to get to know the people who live on my block. In the course of doing so, I came to the firm conclusion that there are important reasons for all of us to do this -- especially as we age. The older we get, the more likely we are to live alone -- and the greater our risk of some kind of emergency. In an emergency, a friend even 10 minutes away may be a friend too far. Sometimes, only the person next door or across the street is close enough to help.
Beyond that, neighbors can enrich our lives -- particularly in retirement when people have more time on their hands. There is a real pleasure in having unplanned conversations with folks nearby. It's a special kind of connection that coffee dates don't quite replace. And neighbors may have something of value to contribute to your life: Maybe it's just borrowing a lawn mower, exchanging a recipe or offering to give a piano lesson to a visiting grandchild. These are advantages we never know about until we actually get to know our neighbors and to say more to them besides, "Hello, how are you?"
Check out the rest for five great tips on how to strengthen your neighborhood ties.