Our neighbors, just on the other side of the fence, are grandparents. Their daughter and grand-daughter are visiting for the next two months from Lithuania. The grand-daughter speaks no English, but from their backyard, you can see the longing on her 6 year old face to play with my kids in the back yard.
Yesterday, her wish was finally granted. She bounded into our yard, swinging with Entertainer and Serious on the play set and ran through the yard as if she had lived here all along. The kids tried to communicate with her, and her responses were mostly a shrug of her shoulders, with a 'yes' or a 'no' here and there, but it was enough. They knew what each other wanted to do just by gestures and friendly smiles. By the end, the three girls were holding hands, sharing popsicles and laughing as if they had known each other for years.....without actually having any kind of verbal conversation at all!
What a lesson for me.....words are often not even necessary to have camaraderie. There was a complete acceptance of each other, never needing to explain who they were or where they were from. They just embraced each other as they were and played for hours out there. It was an amazing site. No judgments, no misconceptions, no stereotypes, no expectations......simply acceptance of each other. It was beautiful.
I spoke briefly to the child's mother, who thankfully for me, could speak a smidge of English...enough to understand that she was grateful for her daughter to have some playmates. She brought out some Lithuanian chocolates, which we all enjoyed together, and I learned a simple truth......we're not at all different even though we come from vastly different lands, speak different languages, and look not alike....However.....
Women from all across the globe do share one thing in common....a sincere love of a Universal Candy...Chocolates!
Yesterday, her wish was finally granted. She bounded into our yard, swinging with Entertainer and Serious on the play set and ran through the yard as if she had lived here all along. The kids tried to communicate with her, and her responses were mostly a shrug of her shoulders, with a 'yes' or a 'no' here and there, but it was enough. They knew what each other wanted to do just by gestures and friendly smiles. By the end, the three girls were holding hands, sharing popsicles and laughing as if they had known each other for years.....without actually having any kind of verbal conversation at all!
What a lesson for me.....words are often not even necessary to have camaraderie. There was a complete acceptance of each other, never needing to explain who they were or where they were from. They just embraced each other as they were and played for hours out there. It was an amazing site. No judgments, no misconceptions, no stereotypes, no expectations......simply acceptance of each other. It was beautiful.
I spoke briefly to the child's mother, who thankfully for me, could speak a smidge of English...enough to understand that she was grateful for her daughter to have some playmates. She brought out some Lithuanian chocolates, which we all enjoyed together, and I learned a simple truth......we're not at all different even though we come from vastly different lands, speak different languages, and look not alike....However.....
Women from all across the globe do share one thing in common....a sincere love of a Universal Candy...Chocolates!
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