Random Acts of Kindness
A plethora of citrus…Making lemonade from donated lemons
On Monday I reached out for help on our hill top community’s FaceBook page. There are about 250 homes here, of whom I know maybe 10 households, only 2 of them as friends. I was confined to the house (well, now it’s fashionable and mandatory !so everyone is doing it! and needed food and medical supplies. I made a modest list by hand with pen on paper, took a photo of it, and posted it with my plea. Most of the neighbors did not know which house I lived in. Several people answered the call, leaving helpful comments on my post. They may have divvied up the errands between them, I’m not sure how they decided who would get what from the things on my list.
The next evening, in place of the fresh produce I was expecting, one neighbor delivered a bag of weeks old broccoli that smelled like Oscar the Grouch had moved into the house in his garbage can, a head of cauliflower that was already so brown it looked as if it came straight from the farm unwashed, an off-brand box of healthy cereal, and a bag of 10 lemons. He assured me (I believed him) that he had scoured two grocery chain stores plus the closest Trader Joe’s and this was the best of what was available. The shelves and freezer were all picked clean, cleaner than a joke in a Roy story. I thanked him, my gratitude obvious for his effort and that he had found lemons for my perpetual cups of ginger tea.
Other neighbors took a trip to the nearby pharmacy and managed to get Vitamin-C and Emergen-C, zinc and throat lozenges, Tylenol because I cannot take Ibuprofen any longer for the headaches and body aches this cold/flu has gifted to me. One of my friends ordered CBD oil for my dog Peeku who has hurt her back and can barely walk, who I cannot take to the veterinarian’s office. Today a third one found sliced bread and a secret stash of my go-to emergency food: frozen pirogies! What a treasure! Gold, I tell ya!
In the last two days more neighbors saw my post and came by with their dogs on leashes, carrying bags of home grown lemons from their own trees. As of this morning I have six dozen lemons (that’s 72 lemons!!!) and 4 limes for the coconut soup that is the only food that warms me during this March rain we’re living through. As soon as I have the strength I’m going to juice a few lemons at a time and put the juice into the freezer for later, whatever may be coming down the national/global pipeline. As I write this most of California is now mandated to shelter in place so I’m going to ration everything my lovely and thoughtful neighbors have brought for me.
Don’t underestimate the power of your own small actions to help others in need, and don’t underestimate the goodness of people when you need help. Be brave, ask for help. Be compassionate, offer help. Good vibes going out to everyone who is reading this.
Actual lemons in author photo from the generosity of strangers.
