The Smurf Blue House

We live in small neighborhood, just on the other side of the highway

from the United States Air Force Academy.

Because of our location,

many of our neighbors are in the military.

It's quiet and yet, friendly.

We've had zero drama since we've moved in

until last week.

Last week, 

our brand new across-the-street neighbors

painted their house.

When I left for work that morning,

it was a nice light celery green color

with ivory trim.

I'd always liked the colors so much

that I had often wondered what our home would look like

sporting those colors.

However, when I came home that evening,

the house had been painted

the most awful blue I've ever seen on a house.

It was an immediate eyesore

and other neighbors were outside

taking a good look at it...

people drove slowly by it as they came home from work.

All of us thinking,

"Are they serious?!"

It didn't take long for an email thread to zip through all of our households

declaring everything from "demanding they change the colors",

"our home values are dropping, somebody call someone!"

"where are the HOA covenants?!" (turns out they hadn't been enforced in ten years,

and at this point to start over would not affect the home in question.)

to

others talking about signing petitions/pleas for the new neighbors to paint over 

the awful blue house...

now accurately dubbed:

"the Smurf House".

I read the thread of emails nearly everyday

as more and more people weighed in on it.

One gal actually spoke to the new neighbors and asked about the color,

to which they replied that they'd let their ten year old daughter chose the color,

and were not going to paint over it,

even though they recognized it was not the best choice

as it is surrounded by homes painted neutral colors.

Hearing that,

I thought it's evident that nothing's going to change.

And I have this thought running through my head,

 of why would brand new people want to become ostrasized within two weeks of moving in?

I wonder what the real story is, ya know?

Was this a particularly hard move?

I noticed that the tags on their cars are not COLORADO tags,

but from Florida and California,

which makes me think they might be military folks.

Maybe their former house was painted the same color

and to make it easier to feel at home,

they let their daughter chose it?

What if she has special needs and this was something in response to that?

Yesterday evening, I pulled into my driveway,

loaded down with packages,

and noticed that the father over there,

was doing yard work...trimming very carefully around a planter.

My first thought was not kind.

"It still doesn't hide the ugly color." I thought to myself.

But later,

I thought there's gotta be more to this than meets the eye.

How awful these people must feel, to know they've won the award

for Ugliest House on the block...

because of one choice.

And I thought, what if my bad choices or my sins even,

were out in the open for any and every one to see?

To judge.

That idea made me nauseas.

 I don't want to be judged by people who don't know me,

know my circumstances or my intent.

Perhaps the same could be said of the Smurf House Family?

I want to know more about them and their obvious choice,

but at this point,

I'd bet their pretty sick of explaining themselves to outsiders.

Last week, I wanted to be rude and unkind--

thoughts of sticking a Big Blue Ribbon with the words:

"Ugliest House" written upon it,

in their yard sounded entertaining and provoked.

This week,

it sounds just as it is--

rude and unkind.

Perhaps I should just go over with some bread and say, 

"Welcome to the Neighborhood. We're so glad you're here."