What made me think about this tonight is that I managed to get a little exercise today because of a neighbor in trouble. Her dishwasher sprung a leak a while back. The couple did not notice it for quite a while. Then the floors in other rooms became wet. Needless to say, they have a mess on their hands. Not only do they need an expensive new appliance, but they have repairs to make as well.
I found out about it two days ago. After our park-wide yard sale, which I took part in, a couple of weeks ago, I had a few boxes left. I had just stacked them rather high near my back steps on Monday, expecting to put them out for trash on Wednesday morning. My neighbor called me on Tuesday and said she'd noticed them when she was walking her dog. She needed them if I was tossing them out. I was happy to give them to her.
I am in the midst of a year-long inside de-cluttering project. I realized I probably had a lot more cartons inside, as well, and offered to make a quick run-through today. She was thrilled. They are getting as much off the floors as possible in preparation for repairs. This did me a big favor as well. I knew I had quite a few cartons that were partly empty. I was happy to have an immediate reason to at least consolidate these. I ended up being able to give her 9 today. That bending and lifting was something I needed to do.
The thing is - I've been in here since the Spring of 2001. That's a dozen years. I run into folks in our mailroom who complain bitterly that people in here are not friendly. I ask them a question or two and find out that they refuse to wave or say Hi. They do not make even the slightest effort to at least visually recognize the person in the homes on either side of them or across from them. When I see them, all they do is complain. That's not the best way to get to know folks, I'm afraid.
See, I figure God did not make just one man and woman. He made it so that we'd reproduce and make others. This means he expects that to be a good thing. Keeping private to an almost reclusive extent does not help when we ourselves need help. I admit there are some folks in here that might get on my nerves a bit from time to time. However, these folks make me appreciate the others even more.
So, I am happy that so many of us know one another to the extent that we can ask a small favor or do a small favor for others. It doesn't mean we have to get into each other's business. But a little bit of an open heart brings many, many warm rewards.
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