Love Thy Neighbor
How does your light brighten a life?
You are a very powerful individual. You do things sometimes that greatly impact another's life, things that take little effort and are just normal everyday habits of yours.
Now imagine what you could do if you actually set your focus on it...
Jump right in, the water is nice ;)
When I lived in metro downtown Seattle, the city was host to a thousand African refugees. The parents were taking ESL classes and being placed in jobs and had a full schedule learning American culture.
My boys befriended a six-year-old boy named Wilson who had been placed in their school and lived one street down from us. Wilson was a beaming child who was never without a smile and spent many hours every day at my house. He knew enough English to get by was a quick learner, but the cultural differences were dramatic and confusing.
He walked through yards, entered houses without knocking, and took bright toys from garages. He never ran and never snuck- he just strolled right up and helped himself.
Always with that ever-present bright and shiny grin.
It hurt to see him getting yelled at by a furious homeowner; his shoulders would slump and he would weep silently. He could not understand that these behaviors were wrong.
And property lines were an alien concept.
One day a neighbor pounded on my door, demanding to know which of my children had defiled his garage door with graffiti. The foot high, red spray-painted letters sloppily read “Thank you” with two happy stick figures below the words. It turned out it was Wilson. He was confused as all the houses looked alike and he wanted to thank me for my hospitality and meals and my kids for their friendship, showing him the ropes at school, and teaching him video games- which he absolutely adored.
I sat Wilson down and explained how I appreciated the thought, but even if it had been my garage you cannot paint someones house, etc, etc. He understood and immediately apologized to the neighbor and asked me how to clean it.
Armed with supplies he marched right over and was joined by my boys. They cleaned, then painted the old mans garage.
A couple of weeks later, my oldest son John came rushing home mere minutes after leaving for school with a rabbit he had found lying on the street. I am not sure what had happened but I suppose it was just dazed, because it bounced back to a normal excitable rabbit state soon after my son left for school for the second time.
John came home that afternoon dragging Wilson, showing him “his” new rabbit. I told John I would place an ad in the lost pet section tomorrow, and if after a week the owners didn’t claim it, the rabbit could be his. He was elated.
The following day was Saturday, and all of my boys and their classmates had some sport practice. I actually had the day to myself!
I had been sanding and nailing and building when suddenly I heard what sounded like voices.
All the kids were miles away at the sporting fields…
I know I had locked the front door, I lived in the city! I never kept the back door locked in the day as it opened into my deck and fenced yard.
I held a hammer and crept to the landing, straining my ears through my music.
Voices! More than a few!
Suddenly a teen boy poked his head around the corner and looked up at me. He almost smiled, but quickly flashed serious. He reached out of my view and drug an elderly man into sight who waved at me.
Then another face. And another. And they all began smiling and trying to tell me something.
I went downstairs to find my kitchen was full of Vietnamese people. Then noticed there was a line of them outside…
They were all conversing and happy. I started shouting above the dull roar! Who are you? What are you doing here! How did you even get in!
Wilson had heard a kid at practice talking about how his Grandfathers black rabbit was lost.
Wilson ran two miles to this families house at the end of my street.
Wilson proceeded to gather the entire family, who were together for some sort of family function, and proudly march them all to my home, leading them to the dog crate in my laundry room (just off the kitchen) which was temporarily holding the rescued rabbit.
And he walked them right into my house via the unlocked back door. He was quite proud of himself for this good deed he had done :)
The elderly Grandpa was a regal gentleman, very obviously the head of the family. He apologized profusely. They had assumed it was Wilson’s house by the way the child was acting!
He wanted to make it up to me, I refused- there was no need. Honest mistake and no harm done. He insisted, via his teen grandson interpretor, that he would find a way.
He then asked me if he could gather my dandelions to feed to his rabbits- they bred them for income. Of course, I told him, anytime.
We bowed and the family left. And I sat Wilson down. Again.
Later that day I noticed the Grandpa pulling me weeds for his bunnies. He caught my eye and smiled and nodded. He came every day.
When John came home that afternoon he was distraught. He had been hoping to keep the rabbit. Wilson consoled him.
If you do not know anything about Asian culture, know this- never refuse a gift. Ever. Not even food. It is a sign of disrespect.
John was happy, he had a new friend. I was happy, my weeds were being taken care of, lol! And Wilson was very proud of himself. He felt he had finally done something to “repay” our family.
Be kind to everyone you meet. You never know who needs it today. Or who doesn’t understand. Just a welcoming smile, seemingly simple and requiring no effort from you, could very well cause a profound chain of events that dramatically alters lives that day.
Love one another, and let your light shine bright this week, my friends ♡
I appreciate your support :)
With Love and Light and Good Mojo to my Tribe!
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