Love thy Neighbour?

Yesterday, out of the usual, our doorbell rang around 8.15 PM. That is the time my parents take out to sit with each other in the porch, bringing themselves up-to-date with each other and us. At the sound of the doorbell, all of our eyebrows threatened to challenge the great skies. Who could it be? NOW? I went to the door and a middle-aged lady stood there, beaming at me. Weirder! She asked me the quintessential question everyone in the building seems to be asking these days, "Mummy hai?", and to say the very least, I was relieved. "MOM!".
My mother came back inside with her funny grin saying, "What a weird lady! She's moved in new and wants a get-together at her place to get to know the people around her." Unsocial beings that we all are, we sniggered at her naivety (read: joblessness)!
Introspecting, what's so weird about it anyway? A woman, new to a building, chooses a nice little evening tea party to get familiarized with her neighbours. The world is a small place, sure. But so small? We've stopped caring about everything apart from ourselves, our jobs, our incomes, our families and our lifestyles. Where's time for friends? Sure, we all have a few of them, but are we making new ones? Do we want to? Do we like people who ask us to their homes to get to know us? There's always an initial awkwardness around friends. Does that mean that we stop trying to make new ones? This isn't just about me, my parents or my building. Society, in general, has been reduced to a selfish version of itself. At a reunion, people will be seen comparing stats about their overachieving children, rather than catching up with their friends. Leave your shoulder chips at home. Keep an open mind. One might end up making friends at any phase during one's life. Being ready for it is key. And who knows? Maybe I should go attend that tea party! Make a few new friends.