They say that every person we meet has been put into our path to raise our consciousness– so everyone teaches us something, causes a shift in our perception in some way or otherwise helps us grow by mirroring back to us an aspect about ourselves that we needed to challenge and question: “Do I really want to stay the way I am or could I react differently and grow as a person?”
Recently, I was having lunch with my gorgeous friend, Sheena, who rustles up Indian feasts and Naan bread like a “female Jamie Oliver Punjabi version” (my description not hers) and her unassuming neighbour was helping them extend their pergola. It was 37 degrees. Flies landing on lips. Unhappily hot. That kind of a day.
He comes over with his ladder, tools and drink bottle, and helps them drive poles into the grass and fling fiberglass sheets up into the sky. The pergola’s done in about 3 hours. Then he ambles back home across the road: “Does he expect anything back in return?” I ask. Sheena looks me in the eye and points to the tap which he’s also repaired at some point during the day:
“Margs, seriously he said to me once: “If it makes the other person happy, why would I charge them?” and so he goes around helping everyone, and you know what? He is happy and we all look out for him and he is just such a generous guy”.
Like, whoa whoa: it suffices to say that I stared back super impressed, and I took a good, hard look at myself and contemplated whether I could give up three hours of my Christmas break, helping someone like that– who’s a neighbour and not even a close friend or a family member. As I left her home, he grinned from across the way and waved and I waved back to him: “Go you good thing– way to teach me something awesome today,” I whispered.
Every little help nugget counts- let’s do it on this lovely Wednesday xxx
