This post is my response to Challenge 4 from Blog This. The Blog This girls ask : If you could name one small gesture someone else has made that had a big impact on your life, what would it be? If you have a blog and want to get involved, head on over and join in the fun!On Saturday morning I was thinking that I'd have to give this challenge a miss, as I was really struggling to think of a random act of kindness that had touched my life. Then, a little before 5pm, the doorbell rang. There, at the door, was our neighbour bearing a freshly baked Pumpkin and Feta Tart, and a dessert tasting plate of mixed sweet treats.
I'd spoken to him earlier in the day and told him we'd had yet another rough night with Sophia and her dodgy lungs - this time a croup attack and hours of crying - and the bags under my eyes told him how exhausted I was after weeks of dealing with illness.
So he and his gorgeous wife (who, themselves have been struggling with six months of new-baby sleep deprivation) decided to save us the trouble of cooking, and delivered a ready-made dinner to our door. The thoughtfulness of that gesture touched me deeply and reminded me how lucky we are to have them as friends.
Canberra is a city where many people of my age don't have an extended family nearby...so our friends become our support network. We take it in turns of minding each other's kids when we need a break, we look after each other when we need a shoulder to cry on, we act as stand-in sisters and brothers when the real siblings aren't around.
It warms my heart to think that, even though my real family can't be around every day, my girls will grow up in a different kind of extended family environment...with familiar, loving faces and embraces; friends that are like cousins; and big, big hearts.
Gordon and Kersten, this post is for you. xox
12 comments:
beautiful post! i wish in sydney our neighbours were like that..
that is amazingly kind! I have very little family nearby and for the most part, my friends are my family.
meant to add that Canberra gets a bad reputation for being cold and unfriendly but it's not, it's really not. I get quite angry at the suggestion that it is.
What a beautiful gesture of your neighbours, puts faith in the human spirit xx hope your daughter is feeling better too
that's very sweet of your neighbours...the world isn't so bad after all :)
hope your little one is better soon x
Sounds like you have awesome neighbours!
And sorry about the croup :( I am a long time croup sufferer (yes, I know, you're meant to outgrow it before you turn 10) and it sucks. It's a hard illness to deal with. Thankfully Brisbane is humid enough all year round that I don't get much more them a mild case, but if we were to move to anywhere else I would be in trouble. I hope the rest of the winter is kinder to you (us too, Lucas is sick again!) *hugs*
What a gorgeous gesture! People are good!
Pumpkin and Feta tart? I think I might move to Canberra..
How lovely was that random act of kindness?
I know you have some very special friends.It's good to know that there's someone near you to do this when I cannot be there. I had some very special friends who took the burden off me when the going got rough when you and your sister were small. I will never forget them!
LOvely. One of the best mew mum gifts (one of the only new mum gifts) I got when T was born was a friend arriving with 4 containers of homemade minestrone and 2 loaves of home made banana bread.So so thoughtful and wonderful. Beats those stupid baby clothes wrapped into the shape of flowers. You know those?
Sorry to hear your little girl is unwell and hope she is on the mend. pumpkin and feta tart?? sounds yummy :-)tina
What wonderful neighbours!The tart sounds very yummy. I hope your little one is better.
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