I Love: My Neighbors

This is my neighbor, Clair.

He is a WWII Veteran and a spry nearly 90-year-
old man.

I have to admit that when Brian and I first bought our little fixer-
upper bungalow in Ogden, it took us awhile to appreciate the amazing person this man is.

Back in the pre-children days, when we liked to sleep in on a Saturday, we sometimes had a hard time appreciating his early morning schedule -- out at the break of dawn washing his motor home, patching the cement work in his driveway, or, otherwise tinkering (right outside our bedroom window).

Back in the days when I had two tiny kids and I was always frazzled trying to get them buckled into their carseats while running late for a doctor's appointment or playdate, I didn't always appreciate being stopped in my driveway for a story (usually involving extensive facts about geological formations in Montana).

But, over the years, I've grown in awe and appreciation of this person. First of all, I am amazed at his stamina. He gets up at 3:30 a.m. every day, eats vegetable soup for breakfast, goes on a 5 a.m. walk with his grown daughter, and then starts a full and busy day of hard work. Ever the optimist, he always tells me that life just gets better and better with old age. I've come to look forward to our driveway chats. And, to appreciate his big hearted service. In the winter, he snowblows three or four driveways at every snowfall.

Recently, Clair had some serious health problems and was in the hospital for several weeks, undergoing five surgeries. This happened a few years back, and, he was able to make a full recovery. Things looked pretty bleak this time around, but, I'm convinced the man has nine-lives because, once again, he made it.

I hadn't even heard that he was out of the hospital when I saw him mowing his lawn a couple of weeks ago. He moved very slowly, but, he did it (he was still eating from a feeding tube which was only removed a few days ago).

And, you could have knocked me over with a feather today when he showed up unannounced and tilled my garden!!!

This reminded me of President Henry B. Eyring's recent conference talk entitled "Adversity," addressing the purifying effects of trials in our lives and about how to find relief when these inevitable challenging times come our way. He says:

"The Lord always suits the relief to the person in need to best strengthen and purify him or her. Often it will come in the inspiration to do what might seem especially hard for the person who needs help himself."

He tells the story of a personal friend in declining health who always gave a smile though he was in constant pain. Later, when he was forced to use a cane to walk, President Eyring caught him dragging his (President Eyring's) garbage can back to the house from the curb with one hand, while balancing himself on his cane with the other.

"He was giving me the help he thought I needed when he needed it far more than I did. And he was helping with a smile and without being asked," Eyring said.

Today, Clair was a living example to me of President Eyring's words. Clair is just one of the many reasons why, for better or worse, we may never be able to leave our little starter bungalow. What is better than great neighbors when it comes to where you live?

You Can Make the Pathway Bright, Hymn #228, verse 3

You can do a kindly deed
To your neighbor in his need,
If there's sunshine in your heart;

And his burden you will share
As you lift his load of care,
If there's sunshine in your heart today.

If there's sunshine in your heart,
You can send a shining ray
That will turn the night to day;

And your cares will all depart,
If there's sunshine in your heart today.