The
Blessing of Good Neighbors
The
Blessing of Good Neighbors
This is the true story of the
unselfish acts of my neighbors, who in times of great distress their
graciousness and expressions of kindness will forever be treasured by my husband
and myself. 
Our
next door neighbors, Frank and Sylvia Juarez are wonderful people, we don’t
hang out with them even though we like the same things, movies ,TV shows and
when we run into each other outside we can literally talk for hours. My husband
David and I have for years said how we need to get together, and have them
over. But we never have.
We try and justify it with how busy we all are, the world goes in a much faster pace as we get older and there is always something having to be done, and put inviting them over on the back burner.
In
March I had a serious, painful and complicated back surgery consisting of 3
doctors operating on me for 6 hours and then I was in recovery another 3 hours.
It was a 360 spinal fusion and I was opened up vertically in the front and also
in the back. Several procedures were done including fusion, replacing some of my
discs with donor bone and inserting an assortment of titanium screws running up
and down my spine.
Sylvia and Frank have 5 grown children ,and numerous grandchildren, and it seems there is never a day that goes by that Sylvia isn’t taking care of, chauffeuring her grandchildren to school and back and babysitting. Sylvia’s parents also have health problems and just this last week she had to fly to San Antonio to help with them .
But on that fateful day for me on March 13th, Frank and Sylvia were there at the hospital with my husband all through those long drawn out 9 hours helping to keep his spirits up and his mind from thinking about all the things that potentially could go wrong. These neighbors who we just shared outdoor chats when we would see each other stayed longer then anyone else, relatives included!!
When
I finally was discharged from the hospital, my husband having to go back to work
after staying home with me a week, Sylvia took upon herself to add me to her
many daily concerns and responsibilities.
I am in a back brace and not allowed to sit up for long periods of time, bend
or twist, basically just lay around like a knickknack, an old unsmiling chipped
knickknack at best.
Sylvia
would check on me daily, having a good shoulder to cry on,
encouraging
words when I started to fall in a vat of self pity and leaving me feeling better
then I had before she came.
I was astonished when she apologized for not being able to do more for me.
She would prepare meals for my husband and my self and bring them over and we feasted like a king and queen on wonderful food making it almost worthwhile to have such a miserable operation.
In
this chaotic world we live in, where everyone’s life is running in the fast
lane, where cell phones and emails are replaced by personal human contact, and
neighbors don’t even know the names of each other ,the unselfish acts of my own
gracious neighbors, Frank and Sylvia Juarez have humbled me and made me
appreciate what a treasure these two people are.
Most of us take our family for granted and I sincerely hope that Sylvia’s family realize she is truly a gift from God, a unique person who brings joy into the lives of all the people she touches and leaves an imprint on the hearts of all who she comes into contact with.
