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Nasly Roa Noriega (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

I begin this story with a very common phrase in my city. If I am not mistaken, I have heard it since I was a child, and the older ladies repeated it constantly to their neighbors, their children, their grandchildren and anyone else they knew.

When I was a child, I would always see the matronas (elderly ladies) of the neighborhood sitting in front of their houses, well-dressed, perfumed and swinging a piece of cardboard that served as a fan, with a porcelain cup perfuming the atmosphere with that pleasant aroma of freshly brewed coffee. I heard them repeat in every dialogue: “Do you know who your brother is? The closest neighbor.”

At the time, I did not understand that beautiful expression that always echoed in my thoughts, generating questions that I could never answer at that time, but I always thought, in my innocence, that my family was very large, because in the neighborhood where I lived there were many neighbors, and according to that phrase, all of them were my brothers.

As time went by and maturity increased my capacity to reason, I began to realize the meaning of those phrases, and they validated themselves every time a mishap occurred in my family, because there they were, my neighbors, always doing their best to help us with whatever we needed, always there for us. 

How is it that a person with whom you do not share any blood ties can become so close and so fraternal? How does the hand of someone other than a family member come first to offer support? How does someone you meet for the first time treat you like a mother, father or brother?

The neighborhood where I enjoyed my childhood and adolescence has always been very fraternal. According to my grandparents’ stories, it was very common to see families and neighbors helping each other. My great-grandmother often gave food to the neighbor’s children when they had nothing to eat, and vice versa. 

The stories we were told as children always emphasized helping each other and how to support each other when problems arise. Even when there were differences or they got upset, neighbors never stopped helping each other, even if they didn’t talk to each other.

Brotherhood is a fundamental principle of life. Knowing that you will always have a helping hand that is there to help you is something valuable. That is why it is often said that friendship is a valuable treasure. It is invaluable, it is giving without expecting anything in return.

In life, we will never be alone. I believe that just around the corner there will always be a brother waiting for us to give us that unfailing support.

At this stage of my life, the moments of my childhood and the beautiful memories of my adolescence and youth have been stored in my trunk of memories, but the only thing that remains constantly echoing in my soul and my heart are the booming words of those wise women in their afternoon chat: “Who is your brother?” My closest neighbor! And you know why I have not forgotten it? Because it is what I say today to my children, to my husband, to my friends and, why not, to my new neighbors. We are social beings. We have always lived in community. We have differences and that makes us different, but we should never be inhuman. Life is uphill, and with each step we will always find a hand that gives us the strength to continue, or encouragement that feeds our life.

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Writing is the best medicine for the soul. To vent your thoughts drawing with letters the story of your life only requires that you want to do it, you only need the silence of your soul and to let your heart write for you, because we are all a book with endless pages and a story to tell.