loving my neighbor...

Tonight like every other night before midnight, Jesse and I walked outside our apartment building, where I routinely stretch while she takes care of her business before bedtime. With hardly anybody around at that time, we rushed back inside and took the elevator back to our floor. Although I was going left, when I came out the elevator my eyes glanced over to the right side of me and there on the hallway floor a few yards away, a woman was laying on the floor in a fetal position, barefooted, her body uncovered and very quiet. Jesse and I rushed over and my sweet dog kissed the lady’s face. I asked the elderly woman if she were fine and she said in a very soft voice that she had fallen but that she was going to get up in a little while. I noticed right away that she was confused. I tried to lift her up but the weight of her lifeless body was too much for me to handle. She looked fine with nothing broken but I did not want to leave her on the floor while I reached the first floor lobby on the other side of the building. Then I wondered if this lady was the mother of my neighbor Bob who had occasionally mentioned that both of his parents live on our floor and they both have dementia. I had seen him carry trays of food to his elderly parents from his apartment to the other side of our floor. I knocked on his door immediately and mentioned the elderly woman on the floor. He wasted no time and rushed out to indeed discover the woman was his mother. He was kind to her and very gently picked her up, while asking her why she was outside her apartment. Her responses made no sense of course and he played along with humorous remarks. He walked her slowly by the hand and Jesse and I followed along, holding her other hand. Once we reached the entrance door to her apartment, I wished Bob and his elderly mother good night.

I am writing this while it’s still fresh on my mind because I want to remember the kindness and love my neighbor Bob showed to his mother. I have been critical of Bob for petty things, but tonight I felt ashamed because we never know what kind of fight people around us are battling in their personal lives. His parents are fortunate to have a kind son like Bob. Be of good cheer dear neighbor!