Malaika
Being neighbourly is more important than you realise.
Living in close proximity to others may necessitate making sacrifices in order to maintain a harmonious relationship with your neighbours. Being considerate of your neighbours is an important aspect of community living, whether it’s keeping noise levels low, being mindful of shared spaces, or refraining from activities that may disturb those around you. Making small sacrifices for the sake of politeness can help create a positive and respectful environment for everyone in your community.
This can improve everyone’s living experience and foster a sense of community. Finally, being a good neighbour can foster a supportive community that benefits everyone in the long run. I am not claiming that being a good neighbour is easy, especially if your neighbours are entitled. However, it is critical that we choose our battles, and it is sometimes preferable to ‘lose’ in situations where you will not gain anything even if you can ‘technically’ do so. That is the message that the original poster (OP) of this story did not receive.
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Source: Reddit
Making sure you don’t make a mess of your neighbour’s yard is always a good idea.
OP inherited a house from his dad a few years ago, and it came with a guava tree.
OP and his wife decided to sell the guava by making it into different items so they could make an extra buck on the side.
Some of the fruits would always fall into their neighbour’s yard, so OP decided to install a net to stop that from happening.
The neighbour wasn’t too happy when they realised they weren’t going to get any more fruits after OP’s wife explained it to them.
Via Reddit
Things only escalated from there, as the neighbours didn’t like that the OP was so worried about a few fruits.
The neighbour also thought OP was being selfish, as his granddad used to let them have the fruits that would fall on their side of the yard.
OP mentioned that the neighbours could buy the fruits off of them if they wanted and that the tree was on their property, so the neighbours have no right.
This has obviously caused a rift between the neighbours, and it is unfortunate that the neighbours don’t greet them whenever they come across each other.
We also got an update explaining that the reason they are selling the fruit is because they need to pay an upcoming medical bill.
The neighbour also only wanted the whole fruit that fell on their side of the property after all.
Via Reddit
Okay, technically, the OP is not in the wrong. After all, it’s their tree, so they can do whatever they want with the fruit. And I have to admit that the neighbours are acting a little entitled. That doesn’t mean the OP didn’t bring it on themselves. It wouldn’t have cost them much to give the neighbours a few fruits. It is preferable to do so to maintain the peace.
I recall having a garden with a guava and lemon tree and giving away the fruits to our neighbours on a regular basis, so the OP is causing unnecessary drama.
People had differing opinions in the comments.
Most people agree that the OP isn’t technically wrong.
However, you have to pick your battles.
Thus, it would have been a better idea to propose a compromise.
Via Reddit
It seemed very petty to a lot of the commenters.
It really isn’t very neighbourly.
Does it really matter if it is just a few fruits?
I have to agree that the neighbour came off as a tiny bit entitled.
Some people were also worried about the birds that could get harmed by the net.
Via Reddit
What are your thoughts on how OP dealt with the situation? Do you think it would have been better if they hadn’t installed the fruit net? Or do you believe the OP is well within their rights to ensure that none of the fruits go to their neighbours? What would you have done in this situation? Comment below to let us know, and don’t forget to share this story with your friends so they can join in with their own similar experiences.
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