Despite the collisions and near-collisions over the last few days, we are still alive, giving thanks. Our sympathies are with those neighbours whose loved ones have not made it into this week. Let's hope we will be more neighbourly this week and do the right thing.

Ask some persons why they want to live, and you'll hear many reasons: from "I just love life" to "I want to realise all my dreams". There's a 10-1 chance you may not hear, "Because I want to be of service to others." How unfortunate. Some persons have not yet grasped the real essence of life. "Service to others is the rent we pay for living on earth," a neighbour reminded me some years ago. How true!

Neighbours, if you are not serving others, you have missed the boat. When the Creator created man, He took one of his ribs and made him a 'neighbour' so that they could serve each other (pardon my theology and the preachiness).

By the way, just want to let the public know that when we speak about 'neighbours', we speak of everyone everywhere - not just the person who lives adjacent to you. So you may live in Kingston and have a neighbour in Westmoreland.

Do you notice that people who always beg always look like beggars? Well, until they jump out of the box and become givers of one sort or another, their status is not likely to change.

I remember a young man who used to visit our school in my teenage years for the sole purpose of begging. You may not believe this, but I saw the very same person sometime last year with hair almost completely white doing the very same thing, telling the very same story. Guess there must be a story behind that story.

In this weekly column, we are in the business of encouraging neighbourliness - best expressed through sharing - and calling everyone on board. We believe that all of us should work together to solve problems. In the process, we will collectively stamp out hostility as we build a more hospitable society where discourtesy and selfishness will find no room.

Give to the have-nots

Some say that the haves should always give to the have-nots, but I must confess that I do not subscribe to the notion of the haves and the have-nots, because everybody has something that can be shared.

A few days ago I saw a gentleman in the, Half-Way Tree area who didn't seem to possess much material wealth, but what he offered the blind man by taking him across the busy thoroughfare was priceless. A lady whose relative got a stroke and called Sister Morgan for prayer could not pay for the recovery the Lord granted as a result of that prayer of faith.

What is your gift or talent? What are you planning to share with a neighbour this week? Don't think you have anything to share? Think again.



Thank your neighbour

Last week, we published a few opportunities for neighbours to help others and today we say thanks to those who responded favourably. Thanks to:

Miss James, St Catherine, for offering a second-hand crib to a neighbour from St Catherine who just had a baby.

Kaesha, St Catherine, for giving a fan to a young neighbour to help with her children's comfort.

Carol, St Andrew, for donating a mattress to a needy neighbour.

Marjorie, Kingston, for offering household items to a neighbour in another parish.

Patsy, Clarendon, for gifting a table model sewing machine to a neighbour.

Mrs Hall, St Andrew, for her willingness to help Cynthia in St James, who was burnt out in 2007 and is still on the road to recovery.