I just read a quote on Reddit in a response by a random person that is hitting me like a ton of bricks.

[Marthe48]

17. Maybe this is a good place to put this

I got along with new neighbors, even though I didn't have much in common with them. But then, last spring, they cut down 7 healthy, mature pines along the edge of their property by the road. When they did that, I realized that I had nothing in common with them whatsoever, and stopped talking to them, totally iced them out. Had the trees been in the way, had there been wires, had the trees been dying, I would have understood. But they built a carport beside the trees before they cut them down, and there was plenty of room. They have 5 cars for 3 people and park them in the carport, the drive and the front yard. The 2 car garage is full of junk. Instead of harvesting the wood, the removal company ran every bit of the trees through a chipper and hauled it away.

I grew up in a family who loved and nurtured trees, near Cleveland, Ohio, which has one of the best urban park systems in the U.S. When I was an adult, I planted trees every year that I could and joined The Arbor Day Foundation. Seeing an entire habitat destroyed, during nesting season no less, hit me hard. Every time I go out of my door, I see the ugly row of stumps where trees stood since we moved there in 1989. I think the saddest thing I ever saw was a squirrel sitting on one of the stumps a few days after the trees were gone.

The woman put a gift bag in my door Christmas Eve, and texted me it was there. I don't know if she thought a gesture would fix things. I want nothing from them and left the bag in the door overnight. I thought a lot about what I wanted to do. I was going to my daughter's house early Christmas day, so I took the bag over and set it behind one of the stone pillars at the end of their drive, with no comment. Even if I don't want to neighbor, I didn't want to dump this out on a holiday. Later, when I was at my daughter's she sent an angry text. I think they finally understand that I'm done with them. It doesn't matter to me if they know why.

I didn't mention this to my kids or anyone until now. This is not usual behavior for me and I am struggling with all of it. I think I followed the first part of the quote Lucky Charms shared, probably except for this will stay silent about the hurt I feel.