The other day, something struck me and made me realize the beauty of human relationships all over again. It all started from that point when I overheard Mom asking for some salt from the neighbors. Well, it got me surprised as there was lots of salt in our kitchen, so why did mom need to borrow it?
She told me for what reason, and I was amazed. It had nothing to do with the salt, but rather something really deep and meaningful.
She said that sometimes the neighbors just needed something small like ingredients when their finances were tight, and that's what they would come for. But she was providing in two ways: she was forming a two-way street of dignity and support.
The small things Mum used to ask from them, like salt, from time to time sent a strong message across. She was simply showing them that sometimes we too, need their assistance. The simple act made it rather easy for them to keep coming to us when they were in need without feeling embarrassed or a burden.
Nowadays it is so easy to get caught up in one's life and just totally forget there is anybody else out there struggling. Mom's way will remind us real fast that we are all in this together.
It's not free money, not charity, it's the preservation of dignity, mutual respect, and interdependence. We give our neighbor that precious blessing to feel needed and wanted. And us, in the process, creating a better, more compassionate community.
Other small ways in which people make such acts of compassion a part of daily life may be asking for directions when one is already carrying a smartphone or asking one's friend's advice about something he most likely would already know. These are little acts of humility that can make others feel important and valued.
It can also remind us not to be proud and ask for help when we should. Letting others help us in some ways can be a gift in itself because doing so would make other people useful and make us bond with them.
As I reflect on this experience, it fills me with the thought that small gestures can uplift each other in subtle ways. That it doesn't take something huge and dramatic, or a monetary donation, to be vital. Sometimes, the little things we do out of consideration make the most difference in the world.
I'm challenging myself, therefore, to be much more perceptive regarding opportunities for this kind of neighborly and merciful concern. Most of the time, it's just a bit of sugar, a question for advice, or time taken for a visit, the itsy-bitsy things weaving a tighter fabric into the community.
