The Kids Next Door

I just recently received a Snapchat video from one of my oldest friends of a memory I forgot. It reminded me of who I grew up with and of all the long nights knocking on each other’s doors, asking if we could play.  

It’s so funny to me that as children we would just go to someone’s house to see if they were around instead of texting or calling. This was the case for me and the neighborhood I grew up in. 

The memories, the laughs, the love. I couldn’t be more grateful for the lifelong friendships I’ve made just because my parents decided to build a house in a small neighborhood all those years ago.  

Childhood was better Together

Even though I can’t remember the first time I met most of these people, it’s felt like they’ve been in my life since I was born. I was so lucky to have ten people just in my grade that lived in my neighborhood who I grew up with. It wouldn’t be the same without every single one of them.  

I can’t just acknowledge those who were in my grade, but all the older sisters and brothers I gained from the kids in the neighborhood. I would look up to them and try to always be like them. 

From the yard games like capture the flag, kick the can, ghosts in the graveyard, and four square, to the long bike rides, ripsticking, making up dances, and racing down the hill, we were always outside having the best time ever.  

traditions that became memories

Depending on the seasons, we had different ideas of fun. Whether it was running in the sprinkler, filling our driveways with chalk, playing Marco Polo, jumping on the trampoline, or even making our own water slides, we always found a way to entertain ourselves in the summer. My favorite way to start our summer vacation was after we got off our bus.  

My neighborhood got assigned the pig bus through kindergarten to sixth grade. This bus was our favorite place to gossip, make Video Stars and Musical.ly’s, and unfortunately annoy our bus driver. Every morning I was at the bus’s first stop in the neighborhood, so I got to be the first one to see all my friends every morning. 

The bus saw each of us sitting next to each other every day from when we were five to twelve. Every birthday we sang, and the holiday tunes we listened to were special. Throughout the years, so much had happened, all the highs and all the lows. 

seasons spent together

On the last day of school, our bus driver would always let us scream through the tunnel! We always looked forward to that moment. After getting off the bus, to celebrate ending school, the neighborhood would have a huge water balloon fight.  

There were endless nights of summer cookouts, bonfires, and night swims. We also always made sure to sell lemonade and baked goods at the front corner of our neighborhood.  

Once fall came around, we had other ideas of fun. We would all walk to and from school when the weather was nice and hop in the minivan to carpool for sports after school. A thing that felt like our own was going into the woods behind our houses to play on the secret playground whenever we could.  

Then Halloween hit. Every year we would go to each other’s houses and anonymously “boo” each other, so we could leave a basket of treats and small gifts on the front doorstep to prepare for Halloween. I always favored the trick-or-treating and trading candy in the basements.  

Winter made it more difficult to hang out, but we sure loved our snow days! Sledding, making snowmen, watching Christmas movies, and of course hot chocolate.  

taylor rise

Even though some have moved, including myself, I always say I wouldn’t have wanted to grow up with anyone else or anywhere else. Some are still my best friends, while others I haven’t talked to in years. It’s crazy to think that now everyone is in their twenties and life has taken us in different directions.  

The best part of thinking about Taylor Rise is that it has seen all of us grow up, and it will get to see a new set of kids do the same.  

I truly believe that where you grow up and who you surround yourself with at a young age is a crucial part of life that will always stay with you. Those people and that neighborhood will forever be part of who I am, and I hope to never forget them. 

• childhood
• neighborhood
• traditions