Neighbourly Sprites

Two years ago, I was devastated when my 18-year old brother was diagnosed with leukemia.He spent the first week receiving treatment in hospital and my parents and I travelled an hour each way daily to be with him.By the third day, we were exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and we were only just scraping through - trying to keep up with the cooking,cleaning and other daily errands.

Imagine our delight when we arrived home that night to find that the housework fairy had visited.Our house was clean and tidy.Dirty clothes had been washed and ironed, a delicious meal was waiting in the fridge, and there was even a vase holding a lovely bunch of flowers. A note on the kitchen counter informed us that the cat had been walked and fed.

We looked at each other in amazement - questioning who,when and how someone had the chance to surprise us.And then it dawned on us - our good friends from across the road have always had the key to our house for emergencies, and they had decided that we were facing an emergency.

For the next few nights, we arrived home to a home-cooked meal, and a peaceful haven.

Two years on,my brother is doing very well with his treatment, and I hope that he will be in remission not too far down the track.What wonderful neighbours we have to have helped us through a very difficult time.

Sending positive vibes your way,

Khadija