Saturday, May 22, 2010

IT'S THE BERRIES

I just finished putting together this fresh fruit salad. I found pineapple, grapes, strawberries, oranges, and blackberries on sale this week and didn't want to wait too long to use them. We're doing better about not wasting food around here.
I'm going to take some of the fruit salad to a neighbor who lost his wife last week. It's such a shame we aren't closer to neighbors these days. His kids and our daughter attended the same schools but we were never very close to the parents. We always waved and spoke when we saw each other outside, but I'm sorry to admit we didn't know them very well. What's worse is although we've lived across the street from them for many years, we had no idea the wife had been seriously ill, or that she had passed, until a neighbor on a different street told us early this week. How sad is that? I saw her driving week before last and as she passed me she waved, as usual. I waved back, never suspecting that would be the last time I'd see her. I'm rather ashamed I was so out of touch with my neighbors but what they were enduring was not something they were eager to share with the world. How would one announce such a thing?
I'd love to return to simpler, kinder times where neighbors knew more about each other and maybe shared morning coffee at the kitchen table, as my mom and her neighbors did years ago. I'd like to feel comfortable borrowing a cup of sugar or an egg and then return the favor by replacing what was borrowed and adding something freshly baked as a thank you. How good it would be to talk over the fence to our neighbors and smell the fresh aroma of linens hanging on the clothesline drying in the sun. Are those days gone forever? Maybe all we can hope for now is to be more in touch and more sensitive to what our neighbors are experiencing. I'm aware that a fruit salad won't ease the grief my neighbor is feeling, but it will let him know someone in the neighborhood cares.

5 comments:

michelle said...

i know exactly what u mean kady.im fortunate that i have been blessed with the most wonderful neighbors,so much so that one we celebrate a seperate christmas and do birthdays together and everything even carpool the kids .they are like my second family since i myself only have one relative in ohio and really have no contact with the rest in p.a. im very blessed.now as for my day with matilda well made it to the bday party which was a journey but im such a dork when we got ready to leave she wouldnt start.shear panic set in since i didnt know where i was cause i followed another parent,shed gave me a jump then realized i left the lights on lol.alls well now im safe and sound at home.have a great weekend sweety blessings michelle

Anonymous said...

I agree with you Kady, I wish things were simpler too. I visited some amazing women today, they were neighbors and truly kindred spirits. I think people are so rat-raced that they just don't have time, hardly have time for their own family time. I'm getting closer to prim blog sisters than I am with any of my neighbors. I would love to share a cup of coffee with ya anytime.
Blessings,
~Ronda~

Cat Nap Inn Primitives said...

You and I are so kindred spirits...I swear when you are writing it..I am channeling it to you..cause I feel the same way...:)

PRIMITIVES FROM THE ATTIC said...

Beautiful!

Cat Haven Craft House said...

Lovely sentiments, Kady. Thank you.