A Good Neighbor

Today I went to my friend's funeral. She was my backyard neighbor but Selma was also my friend. After hearing the talks about her life and how funny she was, how great her faith was and how devoted to her family she was, I realized something: I didn't know her well enough.

When I first met Selma, I thought she was a little bit crazy, and I found out later that I was right! But I came to realize that that was why I liked her so much! She wasn't afraid to be herself, reach out to people, give them compliments and joke with them right off the bat. She was truly an original.

When we were going through the trials of last September, Selma knew something was up because she noticed that my blinds were closed during the daytime. She called me, emailed me and talked to me in church to make sure I was doing okay. She didn't know exactly what was going on, but she cared enough to notice something as small as my blinds being closed.

I decided today that I want to be more like my friend Selma. I want to notice the little things about people, reach out to them when they look like they might be having a bad day, joke with people and make them laugh a little, not be afraid to show them who I really am.

Every time I look out my back window at her house, I think of her. I will miss seeing her out on her patio reading a book or playing with her grandkids. I will never forget that cheerful little lady with a beautiful smile and a great big heart.

How fitting that in my scripture study today I read the parable of the good Samaritan.

"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed...when he saw him he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him."

"Then said Jesus...go and do thou likewise." Luke 10: 25-37

"We need to remember that though we make our friends, God has made our neighbors -- everywhere. Love should have no boundary; we should have no narrow loyalties."

President Howard W. Hunter

I'm thankful that God sent Selma to be my neighbor, because she taught me what it really means to be a neighbor to everyone.