Do Fences Really Make Good Neighbors?

Do Fences Really Make Good Neighbors?

In theory, yes, but what do you do when someone doesn’t respect the fence?

French people love their fences.  It was one of the first things that struck me.  Each yard, no matter the size, is surrounded by a fence.  Most often, the fence is made of painted over cinder blocks or an occasional hedge, but in almost all situations, properties are enclosed in one form or another.  We live in the country, and our property is no exception to the rule, but animal fencing is used instead.  It’s a little less intrusive to the eye; the countryside is not squared off by towering cement walls.  There is a practical side to it too; it’s used to keep the local livestock from destroying the garden, or stepping on the septic tank, which has happened before.

Fences are constructed to delegate property lines and avoid disputes that erupt into larger incidents. France is small compared to the United States, and once someone becomes a property owner, it is defended fiercely.  Everyone wants their place to call their own, which could explain why fences are so abundant.  What is mine is mine, and what is yours is yours.  But, what happens when someone doesn’t respect the fence?  What happens when someone says, what is yours is mine too?

We have that in the village, and I can honestly say it can spoil everything that is good about this place. Christophe tells me every village, every town, and every neighborhood city has the bad apple that thinks that; that takes himself for the king of the land.  It doesn’t change the aggravation of the situation, but what the hell?  How high do the walls need to be built before someone realizes he is not allowed to cross them?  

Fences are only as good as the people who respect them, so if the respect is not there, a fence is useless.  One needs to build respect instead of walls; then, fences would not be needed and an unobstructed view of what lies ahead of us can be seen: a peaceful life.