You know how during a basketball game, when the losing team comes back from halftime with new energy. All of a sudden, the three-point shots start to fall. The layups hit the glass right at the sweet spot. Turnovers help to turn the game around. The momentum has shifted, and the losers can do no wrong.
That sort of thing happens in neighborhoods too. It might start off innocent enough. One resident starts to add a few extras to their lawn maintenance routine: edging along the sidewalk and mulching the flower beds with that deep chocolate-colored mulch. Another neighbor takes note of the new look when out walking their dog, thinks to themselves how nice that looks, and evaluates how little extra time it would take; he too brings the soon-to-be new norm back home.
The satisfaction of returning home to a place that looks just a wee bit nicer acts as an accelerant. Pretty soon, a scrutinizing eye picks up on some peeling paint. The next weekend, a paint scraper, primer, paint brush, and matching paint are purchased and put to use. Others might not be able to handle the ladder work and hire it done. That’s when the cargo vans start to show up. Some have rolls of carpet peeking out of the back doors strapped shut with tie-backs. The one with a lightning bolt logo on the side deposits a worker who installs nifty spotlights over the covered porch.
And on it goes. The circulating activity of people in the trades leaves the neighborhood just a bit more polished when they leave. People enjoy the effect and start to walk their dogs more frequently to check out everyone’s progress. There’s a beautification movement underway. Residents are betting on the future.
Home Economics 