This month’s Word of Life — “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:20) — challenged me to love my neighbour in a deeper, more complete way.
I am in a new chapter of my life now. I’m older, and also a widow, so I’m facing new physical limitations. At times, I even experience loneliness, especially when I see others surrounded by family members while I’m on my own. In a sense, I have become one of the “vulnerable”. Yet, I see this as a gift: it has opened my heart and made me far more sensitive to the needs of those around me.
I now make a conscious effort to reach out to family members and neighbours who are living on their own. I offer to be of service, even if it simply means listening. In our fast-paced lives, we rarely give people the space to speak at their own pace — a pace that is often slower than mine, as I tend to rush!
I have a home helper who assists with household chores. Over the years, the young women who have come to my home have been from different backgrounds, each bringing their own unique culture. They remind me so much of my own children, who live abroad and are therefore foreigners in those lands. I do my best to make them feel truly “at home”.
My heart goes out to them; I see them working so hard to make an honest living. It comes naturally to treat them as one’s own children: encouraging them to take a break from their work so they don’t overexert themselves, sharing what one has, and treating each other like family! And although verbal communication can sometimes be challenging, we gradually learn from one another. I often say that instead of “Home Help,” they should be called “Home Angels”, because our mutual support grows.
Love is a language everyone understands. In a simple yet tangible way, I believe this is how we combat racism and counter the hurtful rhetoric so often found on social media or overheard on the street or on the bus.
So let us smile at one another, say “thank you,” and ensure that they are not exploited by us, all for the sake of our own comfort. Let ‘s consider each other family!
M.M.