As an example of good karma, I present my neighbor, Bob, and how his thoughtful assistance to my family and our neighbors has returned to him through kindly acts from me and my fellow neighbors.
We moved into our house in the summer of 1995, and Bob was one of the first neighbors we met. Bob lives across the street and has been the quintessential good neighbor ever since. His lawn is manicured and pristine. He cheerfully provides a hand or tool when needed. When we go on vacation, we let Bob know so he can keep an eye on things. For 20+ years, if we had an inch or more of snow, Bob would fire up his snowblower and clear our sidewalk. However, aging comes to all, and Bob developed health issues and his snow blowing days came to an end.
As a repayment for past good deeds, for the past ten years I’ve been shoveling Bob’s sidewalk and driveway when it snows. Bob still gets a hardcopy of the Indianapolis Star. At least once a month the Star delivery person misses Bob’s front porch and tosses it on his roof, and I gladly haul my ladder across the street to retrieve his arrant paper. Every Epiphany, I bring him a small Rosa de Reyes cake, a king cake for Fat Tuesday, and fresh tomatoes from our garden in the summer. And I’m not the only in the neighborhood, repaying Bob for past good deeds.
Bob has and is an inspiration to me and my family. With my small gestures, I’m trying to show Bob how grateful I am for having been his neighbor for the past 30 years. And, if there is a cosmic wheel whirling about, my hope is that these acts of kindness will be returned to me and my family.
