I have lived in my Apartment building for nearly 10 years. So what? Well, I met my next door neighbour for the first time this morning. I mean, really met her!
We’d done the polite smiles, ‘How are you?’ ‘Good thanks, and you?’ Every other time. Today we talked, I mean really talked.
I learned she is 53 years old and going through a rough patch in her life, and she’s unsure what she needs to do next.
I learned she is feeling very scattered about her work. She told me all about her passion for designing balcony gardens, for apartment dwellers. Her own looks amazing! She studied as a Horticulturist as a young woman, then became side tracked in Admin. She hates it!.
We spoke about our feelings, and what we need as we get older, as women, and in life. I encouraged her to follow her heart, and said I’d be happy to be her Ra-Ra support girl.
She will be coming in to talk with me again, and she felt better after I left her, than she did before!
She was going home to paint her bathroom, and I told her that was good. She told me enthusiastically, about her colour choice, and how she felt it would look. I told her, perhaps while she was painting, a mundane task in itself, creativity may open up some ideas, for her to think about.
They may shift forward and pop into her head,and I told her to be ready and open for them. She smiled and nodded her head, yes! I noticed she had tears in her eyes, as she said to me, ‘Thank you so much.’
I learned I had a wonderful woman living right next door, who is warm and intelligent, who I nearly missed.
Sometimes, we just need to take time out of our own space, and allow someone to come into yours. Be there for someone else, without strings attached, human to human with encouragement, nurture and love!
I learned I gained so much more, from a simple conversation with the woman next door!