When I moved into our apartment building, I had a vision.
There would be 50 moms exactly like me, same age with same aged kids running around.
I knew we would all meet together in the shared yard area and do finger painting and talk about motherhood.
And my new best friend would live right next door to me. We would knock and drop our kid(s) off to each other on a whim, knowing the other would return the favor when we needed it.
*Sound when a record scratches*
Yah- not my reality at all. There are no children playing outside- only the next door neighbor's kids who I might have to tell you all about here pretty soon. Do people even live in those other apartments? It's like a ghost town most of the time..."where is everyone..." is a thought that frequents through my mind as I look around at the closed blinds and quiet apartments.
What has happened instead is a woman in my new ward put on the relief society announcements that she had extra grapes (did I tell you that Grant is a grape addict? Well, he is..."papes" are his favvvorite) so of course I called her up and went on over. We stayed for hours. She had this cute little marble run that G just couldn't get enough of so we stayed. I chatted with Grandma Marbles- yes this is what she calls herself- and G just played over and over again. Did I mention she is 93 years old?!!! She's got some bounce in her step though and is so cute. She calls me the next week and says she was just so glad we came by and to come and give her a hug at church and come visit again.
Then, one day at an area social Jay and I met a couple from Nepal. The husband Ramsy is doing his doctorates and his wife and son had just moved here to be with him. The little boy Srijan knows English from school but his mom, Sushila is just barely learning. We agreed it would be a great idea for her to come over and practice her new language with me since we both are at home during the day. I actually didn't really think she would come because we couldn't communicate at all- it was all planned through her husband and mine. But
*knock knock*
She came.
We couldn't talk at all...I mean what do I do?
We sat there awkwardly for a minute but I realized very quickly that really, she couldn't speak.
She would smile and laugh shyly because she was embarrassed that we couldn't communicate.
*Idea*
I got out a cookbook and we went through to see what she knew and cooked with- what she is familiar with. That was the best idea ever- pretty soon we were nodding and laughing and smiling about the yummy food in this book and she was learning some English words! It was fun and she said she would come back again.
We've pretty much hung out every other day since that day. We grocery shop and go to the park and Grant lovvvvves her. He calls her "La la" and talks about her frequently when we are not with her and her little boy.
Can I just say that I am blown away by this lady? Yes, she may not know perfect English but she is learning and takes everything so positively and laughs so easily. I am realizing that English is a way we communicate but there is so much more- so much more to communicating than just knowing the words to say. I've learned that through my son but I have also been shown this through this little Nepali woman. She has so much love and good energy and joy for life. She has become my best friend in this short time.
I never in a million years imagined a 93 year old woman and a Nepali lady who doesn't know English to be my best friends but they are. And they are rich in life and love and I enjoy them immensely.
I am surprised because when you move to a new place- it's scary! You leave everything and everyone you know to a new town where you don't know a soul so I have offered many prayers that I can make some good friends- that I can be a good friend and figure out how I can serve the people around me. That is a new prayer for me: that I can serve those around me. I just imagined the answer to my prayer being so different but this is the coolest thing because not only do I have an amazing friend who feeds me and teaches me how to make good, healthy food and loves Grant, but who I am able to serve too: I get to help her learn english! I never thought that would be a way I could help someone but I think it really is helping her and her husband has told me that before she met me, he would try to teach her but she didn't really care too much but now that we've met she's really excited to learn! That made me feel really good. And Grandma Marbles I know just loves having people over and having a cute little kid play her marble game. And she has offered me something too: she made me see that I can make a difference in someone's life. That it makes a difference to her day if I come and give her a hug.
I am so grateful and Heavenly Father answers our prayers....just really it can be in such unexpected ways.
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