Good People Doing Good Things — Our Beautiful Friends

Posted on by under Global Issues, Good people doing good things, History, Personal, Racism & Bigotry, Social commentary, Tributes

Due to my illness, I skipped my Wednesday ‘good people’ post this week, but I want to share a bit of a personal story with you this afternoon, one that I think is timely and relevant and a prime example of some really good people.  As most of you know, late last week my luck ran out and I caught Covid.  For four years my family and I had avoided it by getting every vaccine and always wearing a mask in public venues, but with daughter Chris being a nurse, it was almost inevitable that our luck would run out one day.  By Thursday last week, Chris had recovered from her relatively mild case, but granddaughter Natasha was still suffering from hers and suddenly I was quite ill.  Unfortunately, Chris had an out-of-town commitment with her band and would be gone from Friday morning until late Sunday evening … their final competition of the season down in Nashville, Tennessee.  So, it was just Natasha and I, neither of us able to do much more than cough and sleep.

And then … our best friends and next-door neighbors learned of our situation when their baby daughter, aged 2, wanted to come visit (I am her “Granny” and she loves to come give me hugs!)  Natasha donned her mask and told them that we both had Covid, and they should stay away from us for a few days.

I have mentioned these wonderful friends before … they came to this country circa 2014 from Iraq – mother, father, and three young sons – where their very lives were in danger.  When they moved into the apartment next door to us, we greeted them with gestures and the universal language of hugs, for they spoke only about seven words of English, and we spoke no words of Arabic.  Nonetheless, a beautiful friendship evolved between their family and ours … they have since learned English and all of them have become citizens of the U.S.  All but one of the boys have graduated from high school, and the oldest is now in college studying to become a doctor.  We have shared many evenings together, holiday meals together are a given,  and we have shared our cultures – food, history, music.  I have so many funny stories of how we overcame the language barrier in those early days, about their attempts to teach us a bit of Arabic (I can still say ‘bezuna’, the word for cat!) They are the most giving, loving people I have ever known, bar none.

So, back to last weekend …

A few hours after Natasha told them that we had Covid and that they must stay away, there was a knock on the back door.  Natasha once again donned her mask and went to the door to find … food!  LOTS of food!!!  They placed the food on our patio table, Natasha thanked them profusely and brought the food in.  There were broiled potatoes, meat, salad, fruit, homemade bread, and more.

The next two evenings were the same … only with different foods each evening.  Chicken, beef, vegetables, fruits, breads, cake, pudding … anything we could possibly want to eat and enough to feed a family of ten!  Once or twice a day, they would text me to see how I was feeling, but otherwise they left us alone, knowing we needed to just rest.

I wish I could include their pictures here, for they are such a beautiful family, but unfortunately, I could be putting them in danger by doing so, and I won’t do that … they don’t deserve that.  But I hope you’ll think about these wonderful people next time someone starts ranting about “immigrants” and how they are “poisoning the blood of the people” or “eating pets”.  Every immigrant I have met have been fine people, only wanting to make a life for themselves and their families, always giving back more than they take.  My life is 1000% richer for having known these wonderful friends.

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20 thoughts on “Good People Doing Good Things — Our Beautiful Friends”

  3. I’m very sorry that you two got quite sick and I hope that you are or soon will be fully recovered!

    What a beautiful story of community and truly worth of a spotlight on Good People Doing Good Things!

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  4. What a wonderful friendship! These are neighbors that we must praise everywhere.This Covid thing is really worse. I have tried to stay away from it for the last few years, but now I am infected too and I don’t know where or when. Maybe this virus is AI driven, and is visiting the rest of previously uninfected now. Best wishes, also for a soon and best recovery, Jill! It can’t kill us, we are on duty. 😉 xx Michael

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  5. What wonderful. These are the Americans that I am pleased to see are still around. The Good Neighbours, The Caring Folk. The ones that we can be proud to call Americans.
    Well done you for singing out loud their praises and letting the world know our their beautiful acts.
    Hoping you Jill and Natasha are still ‘on the mend’.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. What a wonderful good people post, Jill. Thank you for taking the time and effort to tell us. Sending all healing and good energy into the universe for you, Natasha, and your wonderful neighbors. I do hope things are beginning to improve, at least, with the Covid.

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  10. Pingback: Good People Doing Good Things — Our Beautiful Friends | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  11. Friends are the people who do things for you over and above expectation. The family next door are worth more than any MAGAt could ever be. And it is times of hardship when they are around, but noone else is. But there are so many “sick” people out there. They are th?e ones who should be living in Iraq (or whatever)– anywhere but here!)
    You didn’t say, so i thinking you aren’t getting much better. How about Natasha? The covid bug they say we have around here is fairly minor, but I still do not want anyone gettng sick with it. Take care, Jill.

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  12. Jill, you and your neighbours are the kind of ‚neighbours‘ everybody needs and would want. Being discrete, kind, loving, no judgment, just acceptance of each other. We have Kurdish families here and one family especially is very eager to learn the language, to get ‚adopted‘ in our country, they‘re taking any course the town offers (sewing etc), they are so thankful for every little thing or goodness they encounter.AndWE should be thankful to learn from them.
    I‘m really glad that you get that help and I hope that you and your Natasha are soon getting over that nasty Covid attack. Thank you for sharing this lovely and heart-warming tale. Blessed be you all.

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  13. My heart beats again as the worry eases yet it bleeds that you feel a need to be silent to protect a neighbor.😘🙏👍Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to a lawyer’s question about who is a neighbor, and the parable’s conclusion is that a neighbor is someone who shows mercy to others.

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  15. I am so sorry that you caught Covid!! I hope you can get over it fast! I absolutely love this story and thankful that you have such wonderful neighbors that have become dear friends. ❤ What a blessing they are!
    (((HUGS)))) and love!!!

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  16. Thanks so much for sharing this beautiful story, Jill! I agree with you, and from my own experience, all immigrants I have met are beautiful, caring, supportive human beings, who also have much to teach the racist “patriots” what love of the US and democracy really means! I am so happy that you have this lovely family living near you, and caring for you while yo are sick, and I hope you and your granddaughter Natasha recover soon from Covid! Sending blessings to you and to your wonderful neighbors!

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  18. Thank upu for sharing this beautiful story. I have been blessed to get to know people from many different cultures who were immigrants and eventually became American citizens. They all were great friends and a pleasure to work with.

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