As humanity expands to
fill the globe, so too
does density as we are
stacked one on top of
another on top of another.
Neighbours, who used to be
a friendly wave across a
field, are now as close as
thin sheetrock, plaster,
and some studs.
In our proximity, our
capacity has not changed;
we are no more magically
tolerant of others than before.
We share a space that is
subject to the elements,
acts of God, even fire, water,
and air. Accept or deny
climate change, we all live
on the same globe with
common conditions. We can
turn on the kitchen fan when
the smell of curry gets too
strong, but none of us have
control over Mother Nature.
Still, it is easier to blame
someone nearby for those
things that are beyond our
dominion, rather than face
the shared responsibility for
dealing with those outcomes.
What, then, is the
neighbourly response?
Brydon Caldwell is a long time teacher and emerging writer from the western edge of the Canadian Shield. A lifetime of creativity and flirtation with the written word has finally coalesced into writing that he’s proud to put out into the world. His writing can be found in The Ekphrastic Review, The Fib Review, and the upcoming Fear Dealer, Opolis 2026, and Still From Somewhere anthologies.
