distant neighbor

Foreigners who meet each other for at most two weeks a year lend a helping hand without hesitation, making me, a passer-by,
There is no pressure to be sympathized with, I only feel the warmth of encouragement...

We have lived in Houston for many years, and although we have many friendly neighbors, there is also a neighbor far away in North Carolina who has been the watchman in our lives for twenty years.

North Carolina Neighbors

High Point, North Carolina, compared to Houston, can be said to be a city with blooming flowers and endless chirping of birds. Due to work, we went there twice a year to participate in art exhibitions. Through renting a house, we met Mr. and Mrs. Johnston. We stayed at his house temporarily for one to two weeks every time and became old neighbors for twenty years.

The exhibition is always held when flowers are in bloom, and birds are not absent either. Remember, before four o'clock every morning, you can hear the first call of the rosefinch, followed by the robin, and finally, the mockingbird joins in the duet! Two hours of nature's music is the accompaniment for us to wake up, get up, wash up, change clothes, have breakfast, and get ready for the exhibition. Quietly crossing the hall of "Qiao's", I drove out in the mist. On the roadside, wood dog flowers were falling all over the sky. "The birds are chirping as if to welcome guests. They are in love but not thinking." I wrote about the relationship between Qiao and his wife. "No thoughts of true love".

In the early 1990s, they were considered a typical middle-class American. They had an elegant house with four bedrooms and two living rooms and a large backyard. They rented it out to exhibitors during exhibitions. We started by renting only a single room. Ten years later, as the number of company participants increased, we rented all three rooms and became the only major client. Every time we go to Gaodian City, we always insist on taking them to have a Chinese meal. During this week, they also share many endless stories of struggle. Every time Mrs. Qiao recounts that in the late 1950s, a family of five was worried about gasoline money. , every meal must be timed, Mr. Qiao always replied: "How can it be so hard! Did you remember it wrong?"

We were introduced to them through church friends and never moved anywhere for ten years until they moved. At Qiao's house, we have clean sheets changed every two days, a spotless bathroom, and good coffee and fresh juice in the morning. What more can we ask for during a trip?

▲The Jordan couple give people a sense of intimacy, trust and comfort.

feel at home

When the company was founded, one year I went to an exhibition alone, without any colleagues, and I didn’t know how to chat with foreigners I had never met before. I felt helpless and came home every day, ready to cry. The exhibition venue was too big, and I often couldn't figure out the direction. My English was not good, and I was timid even looking for a place to eat. I had no choice but to ask Mr. and Mrs. Qiao for help. They always patiently taught me how to take a taxi, transfer trains, and where to buy food.

Think about it, foreigners who meet each other for at most two weeks a year, they lend a helping hand without hesitation, as if they should be like this, so that a passerby does not feel the pressure of sympathy, but only feels the warmth of encouragement. The kindness in their hearts shows freely, what a complete testimony of life! Now that I think about it, although it is as deep as the sea and as clear as a stream, this unbreakable love is still unforgettable in my mind.

During the exhibition period, we lived in Qiao Mansion. The two elders always waited for us to come back from get off work at the venue every day, and went to their living room to talk about the results of the exhibition and business prospects. Mrs. Joe also baked cakes herself and added various ice cream treats. Even though we were exhausted, we still couldn't bear to go against their good wishes. After living there for a long time, this became a daily ritual of living next to each other.

One time, his tenants happened to include American Jews, American Greeks and Chinese Americans. We all belonged to different religious denominations. There were three different dates and stories for Christmas alone, plus the Four-Party Talks Different thinking and cross-comments were very lively. I have no idea how I participated in such a deep conversation and debate. But with mutual openness and respect, I enjoyed myself calmly and talked with everyone until midnight. It was so fun!

The exchanges between other tenants, chance encounters, have nothing to do with interests, and are entirely based on human trust. The intimacy, trust and ease in getting along with Mr. Qiao may seem like ordinary enjoyment of life, but they are also an extremely rare spiritual harmony. Because of our rich culture, the chat between us has a special mood, that long lasting charm, like wind, like rain; like floating clouds, like the warm sun.

Friendship

Their undying love may be due to their gratitude for their transition from the Great Depression to the current middle class in the United States; their hard-working temperament and ability to earn extra money, thrift and family management; and their love for their country and their neighbors. It was an eye-opener for me, and I admired and encouraged myself.

Now, twenty years later, they have reached the age of eighty and have moved away from their old home to be near their children. However, whenever we are present during exhibitions, they still drive two hours to visit their old neighbors.

Looking back on my journey, the unforgettable friendship with my distant neighbor is a reminder and a force that urges me to learn from the past and learn from the past. In the hurried journey of life, I persist in my original love and learn to share humanity with strangers. Only by being extremely kind can one surpass the weakness of one's own life and brew eternal kinetic energy in the world of mortals.

Author profile
A Shandong native who was born in Shanghai and grew up in Taiwan. He loves traveling and has visited India, Russia, and Eastern Europe. Although he is an accountant by profession, he loves sharpening pens. She has been married to her husband Shen Piqiang for thirty-five years and has a son and a daughter. They are both directors of the "True Love Family Association".