Hello Mi Neighbour | Cultivate an atmosphere of love at home

Hello mi neighbour! We are all feeling the pinch! Let’s not worsen a bad situation by pinching one another. Go slow with anger, quicken your steps with mercy, and be willing to forgive the misdeeds of others at the drop of a hat. This works for the benefit of all.

Nowadays, almost everything must be done from home. The adjustments, therefore, must be swift and well aligned in the interest of efficiency and productivity on the one hand, and peace and harmony in the home on the other.

In this COVID-19 pandemic, home life, work life and school life must occupy the same space. And what about love life? Hahaha! Can anyone tell me how this is gonna workout without strong social, interpersonal and spiritual skills? “What the world needs now is love, sweet love”. Right, Dionne Warwick? Here I am reminded of an old song which can be a source of inspiration to families now forced to ‘live behind bars’ as the country tackles the pandemic.

“There is beauty all around, when there’s love at home;

There is joy in every sound, when there’s love at home;

Peace and plenty here abide, smiling sweet on every side,

Time doth softly, sweetly glide, when there’s love at home.”

These words are even more beautiful when a family can sit around a meal, for example, and analyse them. Think of it, when love is at home, everything looks beautiful. Whether it’s the sound of a cough, a sigh, a song or word of disapproval, it brings joy because it’s coming from a member family in which love is the main ingredient. Talk about a little bit of heaven down here! Imagine this headline in The Gleaner: ‘Families have suddenly discovered that home is the best place on earth’. Let the imagination run wild; we seem to have a little time on our hand.

MEDITATE ON THIS

And while we are at it, let’s also examine these lyrics:

“When there’s love at home; hate and envy ne’er annoy,

When there’s love at home; roses bloom beneath our feet,

All the earth’s a garden sweet, making life a bliss complete,

When there’s love at home.”

As a lady friend of yesteryear would say, “Wowee!”.

Now, take a long pause and mediate on those words. And, like I said, no need to rush. There’s ample time. No traffic to stress you, or co-worker to irritate you today. When there is love at home, you can sleep like a babe and relax like a king. No thoughts of envy or annoyance to keep you tossing and turning all night like troubled waters. Your very footprints are like beautiful roses which bring joy to the human heart and completeness to life’s beautiful gardens.

And here’s another good reason to create and cultivate an atmosphere of love at home, especially at a time when it becomes easy for pressure to rise and anger to boil.

The research shows that when there is love at home,

“Anger cools and pressures cease.

When there’s love at home, children learn to live in peace.

When there’s love at home, (there’s) courage to reach out in grace, meet a stranger face to face,

find a reconciling place … when there’s love at home.”

On that, have a lovely day and remember, like Oscar Harris says,

“Try a little love …

And things will go your way.

in everything you do …

‘Cause love will do.”

THANKS TO NEIGHBOURS

1. Everybody’s Pharmacy, for donation

2. Neighbour, St Andrew, for household items

3. Neighbour, St Andrew, for assisting father of three with food

CAN YOU HELP SOMEONE FROM LIST BELOW?

1. A university student is reaching out for financial assistance

to pay for living accommodation.

2. Mother of three is asking for a bunk bed for children.

3. Neighbour, St Ann, asking for a radio or television, etc.

To help, please call Silton Townsend at (876) 334-8165 or (876) 884-3866. You may also make adeposit to A/C#351 044 276 at NCB. Alternatively, send donations to HELLO NEIGHBOUR c/o 53 Half-Way Tree Road, Kingston 10; PayPal/credit card: email: zicron22@yahoo.com. contact email: helloneighbour@yahoo.com. Visit hellomineighbourja.blogspot.com. Mr Townsend exclusively manages the collections and distributions mentioned in this column and is neither an employee nor agent of The Gleaner.