Breaking Communication Barriers

Trying something a little different today and blogging about my thoughts – this is new for me (not thinking, though my husband would question that) – just writing it down.

I have been fortunate enough in the twenty-three years I have lived in my house to have some incredible neighbors. Some have come and gone and admittedly, some have not been so great (a story for another time). But for the most part, they have been amazing. For the last 18 years, I have lived next to a woman who came from China. Her son bought the house for her. They have had other families come and stay while they get established in America, most of them do not speak English and I do not speak a word of Chinese. We simply refer to the woman as neighbor lady (as that is what one of the children who lived in her house called her.) I don’t know how to ask her name and the only words she knows in English are thank you and hello. She is older than me though I don’t know how old. She is always happy and a hard worker. She has a green thumb. Her garden is always in bloom.

Several years ago, I started cutting her lawn. Even before we had a rechargeable mower and still had a push mower, I would cut it. As I said she is older than me and it took just a few extra minutes out of my day to do that for her. I also shovel her walk and steps in the snow. I am home, she goes to work every day and it just seemed like the nice thing to do. In return, she started bringing me things from her garden. I certainly didn’t expect it and she doesn’t have to do it. but she does it anyway. She will also go out of her way at Christmas to bring us a gift. I appreciate all of that, but I would take care of her without it.

Yesterday might have been her birthday – so much of her family came. In all the years we have lived next door to each other, I have never seen that many people at her house. I think maybe it was an important birthday. I know she was happy to have them all there. The party went late into the night. Today, she brought me so many beautiful cherry tomatoes. She communicated that she would like the container back without using English. I told her she looked beautiful today – she did. She had on a a brand new dress, her hair was done and her smile lit up her face. She didn’t know the words I used but she understood what I meant.

We hugged.

We break down the communication barriers every day. It’s a small thing to try and reach out and understand one another even though we don’t share the same language. I think the language of kindness just works. Be kind today.