Wednesday Real Talk

When Does Your Freedom Become Your Neighbor’s Problem?

Last night I was sitting in my home when I realized something.

That little dog is STILL barking. 🤣

It was after 10:00 at night, and this wasn’t a dog that had just gone outside and barked because somebody walked by.

I had been hearing this dog off and on for hours.

And this isn’t something I only notice at night.

I work from home, and I hear this little yapper during the day too.

Now before anybody comes for me, let me make something clear.

I like dogs.

On the right side of our townhouse are neighbors with pit bulls. They don’t bother me at all.

The dogs go outside. They do whatever dogs do. They may bark. Then, before long, they are back inside.

Dogs bark.

I don’t expect somebody’s dog to walk outside and suddenly understand neighborhood noise ordinances. 🤣

But on the other side of us is a six-unit building with three units on each side and a walkway running down the middle. There is a fenced yard area, and somewhere over there lives this little dog.

I don’t even know which apartment the dog belongs to.

But BABY, I know that bark. 😂

And apparently so does my grandcat Musty.

Last night I found Musty sitting in the TV room window, tucked behind the blinds, looking outside.

Now maybe Musty was just enjoying the nighttime scenery.

But I have another theory.

Musty was looking for the yapper. 🤣🤣🤣

And that got me thinking about something much bigger than a barking dog.

When does your freedom to enjoy your home begin interfering with someone else’s freedom to enjoy theirs?

Because we all make noise.

People have children.

People have pets.

People play music.

People have company.

People work on their homes.

People laugh, argue, celebrate, vacuum, move furniture and occasionally drop something that sounds like the entire second floor just collapsed. 😂

That is life.

Especially when we live close to other people.

I don’t expect silence.

But I do believe there is a difference between normal living noise and being inconsiderate of the people who live around you.

If your dog barks for a few minutes, okay.

But if your dog is outside barking throughout the day and is still carrying on after 10:00 at night, at what point do you say:

“Come on. Time to bring you inside.”

And here’s another thing I found myself wondering.

How can the people who actually live in that six-plex stand it?

If I can hear the dog from my home, what does it sound like to the people living right there?

Maybe they don’t care.

Maybe they have learned to tune it out.

Maybe somebody over there is irritated as hell and doesn’t want to create problems with a neighbor.

Maybe somebody has already complained.

I don’t know.

And I’m not going over there conducting an investigation. 🤣

Although apparently Musty has already volunteered for surveillance duty.

But the whole thing made me think about what it means to be a good neighbor.

I believe we have a responsibility to be aware of how the way we live affects other people.

That doesn’t mean changing your entire life because somebody might be bothered by something.

You have the right to enjoy your home.

But your neighbor does too.

And sometimes being considerate is really simple.

Bring the barking dog inside.

Turn the music down when it gets late.

Don’t let your kids scream outside somebody’s window at 6:00 in the morning.

Maybe don’t start your power tools when the rest of the neighborhood is sleeping.

It isn’t about everybody living according to my rules.

It’s about having some awareness that we share space in this world.

Your property may end at your fence.

Your noise doesn’t.

And THAT may be the real conversation.

We talk so much about our individual rights, our personal space and our freedom to live however we choose.

But living in a community also requires consideration.

Sometimes the question isn’t:

“Am I allowed to do this?”

Sometimes the better question is:

“How is what I’m doing affecting the people around me?”

That little question could probably solve a whole lot more than a barking-dog problem.

Real Talk Question

Where do you draw the line between normal neighborhood noise and someone simply being inconsiderate?

I’m curious because everybody’s tolerance is different.

And somewhere behind my TV-room blinds, Musty would probably like to participate in this conversation too.

🤣🐈🐕🌻 🤫

Flava in Her Tower 🌻