Have you ever watched the show Bewitched with Elizabeth Montgomery? Whenever I heard the sweet introduction jingle, I danced around the living room as if stepping back in time. I loved how Darrin always came to Samantha’s aid when she was in trouble. But the one character so many people will never forget—even over 50 years later—will be Samantha’s neighbor Gladys Kravitz.
The one neighbor who always thought there was something suspicious. The one neighbor who freely spoke her mind without a filter. The one neighbor who peeked into windows and called her crazy at dinner. Time and time again we saw the nosy Gladys cause an uproar of emotions for Samantha—and although humorous, no one would ever dream that a TV show would turn into someone’s reality. But it did for us.
When my husband and I moved into our house four years ago, we quickly found out our neighbor was Gladys. Over the last four years, I had images on my Ring camera from her peeping in the big glass window. I had her ring the doorbell and come by to ask a favor and even hear her make the comment, “Wow! Your house is actually clean!”
She hinted at inviting herself over to supper the day we moved in. She would comment on how I needed to have better lawn care. When my husband lost his job, she told him it would have been wiser for him to get a degree in something else. She always had a remark that would make you think . . . did she actually just say that?
Her name wasn’t actually Gladys, but we couldn’t imagine any other name to think of to combat the worst thoughts about ourselves magically vocalized by our neighboring pastor’s wife. Yes, she was a pastor’s wife too.
As several years went by, I found the for sale sign I had always secretly hoped would arrive in their yard. Shockingly, I found myself kind of sad at their leaving. Gladys would never know her nosy behaviors and rude comments made an impact on me, but others had seen it. Something meant to be negative had actually grown me as a person, wife, friend, and mother.
I learned from Gladys that a neighbor’s dirty house meant they were most likely in a season needing compassion, not judgment. A helping hand was needed more than a nosy held-up nose.
I learned from Gladys that an insult on yard care was actually a compliment that my priorities were in the right place. If I wasn’t mowing the lawn, I was spending time with my kids or husband. The lawn would always be there.
I learned from Gladys that sticks and stones aren’t the only things that hurt. Words hurt—and I needed to be careful where I placed them.
I learned from Gladys that instead of peeping in windows, I should go to the neighbor and let them know if they ever needed anything, we would be there. I learned what a neighbor should be from the most unlikely neighbor of them all.
So here’s to those with not-so-nice neighbors. We can still learn from them. We can still choose to love them. And one day, we might even miss them.
“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31 NIV)
by Meg Duncan 
by Brea Schmidt 
by Brianna Baranowski 
