Home

Kindness is a gesture extended with nothing asked in return. At this time of year, I count my blessings. I am grateful for many people have done kind things for me throughout my life. With the world in such a depressing state, kindness is the key to remaining sane and upright. Recently, I was the beneficiary of a true labor of love and kindness. In my life, I have been blessed with guardian angels. Ann and Nancy are my angels this Christmas.

When I first arrived in California, I planned on visiting my cousin, Chris, and his wife, Nancy for no more than three days. I stayed with Chris and Nancy for eight months, even going through a six-week kitchen redo before finding a very small basement apartment. This being the Bay Area, I am grateful to live here for what I pay.

The challenges of living in a small apartment are similar to living on a houseboat. With its 6’5” ceilings, especially in the winter, when the sun sets at 4:45 pm, the dirty white walls closed in even more on wet, black nights. i have depression, so I haven’t had the energy or the desire to make this place home. Sad energy permeated the apartment.

After living here for three years, I was not looking forward to another winter, and was telling Nancy this. She and her twin sister, Ann, have superb decorating skills, and I hoped they would give me some suggestions on how to make my environment warm and hospitable.

They came over one afternoon, with tape measures, and looked around. They asked me what my favorite colors were, demanded my keys, and told me to trust them.

Ten days later, i walked in and I cried, like all those lucky people on the decorating shows on tv.

The walls were painted a pale blue grey. There was a new turquoise loveseat and a beige reading chair. There was a wood coffee table.They painted the garage sale dressers a bold shade of aqua and tied everything together with a new duvet cover and fresh shams. Ann’s husband, Doug, is an artist, so they put beautiful paintings on the wall. They organized my cabinets and closet. They cleaned out my refrigerator. Chris and Doug were in on the action too, hanging pictures and window shades.

My place looks chic and feels cozy. As stunned as i was when I opened the door and saw my sparkling bachelorette pad, I was amazed at the care they took, organizing all of my things. Clothing was folded neatly and arranged in drawers. Cabinets were logically organized.

I’m a private person and Ann and Nancy reorganizing all of my stuff was discomfiting. Very few people know me inside and out, but they do. These two women are truly non-judgemental.

It has been a difficult year for me, especially financially. My employment status is tenuous. The icing on the kindness cake was when Nancy said that the redo was a gift from her and Ann. They wanted me to have cheerful surroundings, so that I can climb out of my hole.

I can never repay this kindness, but I can appreciate how lucky I am to have these women, my sisters, in my life.