A Small Act of Kindness
Unexpected but very helpful
As we age, things become more complex. We can only see our ability to do so many things. A young family had moved next and had taken care of the more arduous chores. In the day, I was capable and raised my kids, but age got ahold of me. I used to be able to keep up with everything, but my husband is not doing so well either. The maintenance of things is only getting more complicated. At least we have neighborly help. The neighbor is a much younger man and will mow the lawn when he does his lawn. It is a significant help with my husband’s heart problems that the more physical work was not safe. Time can be so cruel when things start to change. I was young and agile, but now I can hardly move with the condition.
The children are so sweet, just like mine when they were young. My daughters are older and now looking for husbands. Their lives are just taking off, and I cannot stop them from spreading their wings. Only through time will we see new additions to the family. Every season brings new challenges, making tasks more difficult to accomplish.
There was one time that certain things had to be completed, but with my husband’s heart problem, the yard work became too much. He wanted to do more, but his body caught up. Usually, the neighbor would pick up the slack and do it. Today was different; the neighbor was not out there. One of the kids was. They were stuck doing yard work, but it was a lesson for them to learn. One of the oldest children approached our yard and started raking the leaves. No other adults around supervising. It was a significant help since the tree always dropped them this time of year. I secretly watched as they did the duty without even being told. I guess they had noticed their father’s sacrifice to help others. The child fervently worked to gather the leaves in a pile and keep the yard clear of more leaves. The child could have been doing something more amusing but decided to help another instead. All I could do was watch from my window and admire the effort. The whisk of the rake was needed, but I could not do it. The silliness was the rake was taller than the kid. The effort was there to be kind. The leaves were finished as the child just never said anything.
Looking back at the house, I see that the task was done. The lawn looked great, and the neighbor was gone. I knew that the parents were home and decided to call. The act had to be asked and at least I could thank them for the help. Getting older never gets easier, and they are good neighbors, which are hard to come by. Her mother answered with great surprise. The whole thing was not asked of them; it was the kid’s idea. I could sit back and relax seeing my clean yard. I also remember when my children were that little. Oh, how time changes, and yet we only get older. Such an act was so kind, though, without being told. Despite all the changes since I was young, I guess there is kindness in the world. It was such a beautiful day, and now the chore was done. I do hope she never stops the acts. It was only once, and her father resumed the duties. The family has been so good to us, and I hope she was rewarded for her actions.
Throughout the years, the family has taken care of us. She has helped by getting the mail. The years have been good, and my life has continued. I will never forget that day.
About the Creator
Sarah Danaher
I enjoy writing for fun. I like to write for several genres including fantasy, poetry, and dystopian, but I am open to trying other genres too. It has been a source of stress relief from my busy life.
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Comments (2)
Your family has been so kind and helpful to them! So heartwarming!
I hope for your husband's good health. Your words are truly excellent and deeply inspiring.