I'm sitting at my desk, making mistakes as I'm really good at that, and I hear a lawn tractor driving across my yard.
I look out the window and see my 80-year-old neighbor mowing our yard.
He was mowing his lawn and just cruised over here.
Acts of kindness make the world a better place.
Mine is a woman in her 60s who's from the southern part of India.
She's barely able to converse in English or Hindi. So we don't have a lot to talk about.
But she makes this delicious Idli Sambhar (a dish from Southern India - Idli being savoury steamed rice cakes and Sambhar is a delicious lentil soup with special spices, pumpkins, onion, tomatoes and moringa)
We have a culture of not returning empty vessels. So if you give me something you made in plates/bowls/containers from your house. I am not sending them back empty. I'll keep them till I make something special at home and then give that to you in the same plate.
About a decade ago when Facebook was all the rage, she once returned our plates with Idli Sambhar in it. And I was so impressed I wrote on Facebook about how my neighbour makes the best Idlis in the world.
Her son saw it and shared it with her. Needless to say, she was elated.
And it's been a decade and I STILL have Idli Sambhar for breakfast at least twice a month.
She has figured out when I leave for work and what my routine is and right at breakfast time, there's a knock on the door. And there she is with freshly made, piping hot Idli and Sambhar and coconut chutney.
Over the years, it's grown to more things. Everytime she makes something that's not a part of their everyday diet, she ensures she sets aside a portion for me.
And it's the same at my house now, anytime we make something good we make enough to send some for their family.
It's one of my most cherished things in life.
