Life was hard but there was kindness

When I had young children, the older ladies next door and I swapped help. I would take Teresa grocery shopping and often put her groceries on the porch for her, and at times Helen would come over for 15 minutes so that I could walk up to the corner store without having to snowsuit everybody. We helped each other in other ways sometimes too.

Well, one late evening when I was nearly 9 months pregnant I went grocery shopping, returning exhausted. I was too tired to even get out of the car and I knew my husband and the little ones would be asleep inside. I just sat there and cried for a little while because it was all so difficult. To my surprise, suddenly I saw Helen and Teresa wrapped in their shawls coming gingerly down their steps to help carry MY groceries inside my house.

Then I REALLY cried – with all their ailments, this was a real act of kindness! – Sharon