Jo Pattison pens heartfelt letter to thank acts of kindness and says she has never met a nasty person in the Macarthur area

Elderly Leumeah resident Jo Pattison has written a heartfelt letter to honour the good and kind people in the Macarthur area and she reveals she has never had the displeasure to meet a nasty person in our region.

Leumeah resident Jo Pattison (centre) with friends and helpers Ruth Craven (left) and Sandra Moir (right). Pictures: Simon Bullard

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ELDERLY Leumeah resident Jo Pattison has written a heartfelt letter to honour the many good and kind people in the Macarthur area and she reveals she has never had the displeasure to meet a nasty person in our region.

Mrs Pattison, 87, said the selfless people she has met have helped her live independently and continue to enjoy a full and active life.

Jo Pattison, 87, enjoys living independently, and has thanked her kind friends and neighbours as well as the kind strangers who step in and help but are not intrusive.

She questioned where else she could find such good nextdoor neighbours who were so understanding and ready to assist when she needed their help but were not intrusive at the same time.

Keen to live independently, but due to have a knee operation on Thursday, Mrs Pattison has also singled out the support of her church family at Minto Anglican Church.

“I am very independent but have been grateful to accept their assistance with some of my shopping, lovely meals and warm hearted visits to keep me cheerful,’’ she said.

The mother of five said she had also been the recipient of unexpected acts of kindness from strangers during her shopping trips and while running her errands and they wanted nothing in return.

“I was shopping with my wheely walker when two young women in their 20s rushed to help me and one had a baby on her hip,’’ she said.

“They picked some things up for me and they were marvellous but then they disappeared.’’

Recently, she was going to the post office when a gust of wind snatched the bills out of her hands and two strangers picked them up for her.

“There is still laughter in my life as lovely folk I’ve never met have a joke with me as they offer to assist me to my car, or pick up things I so clumsily drop,’’ she said.

Jo Pattison said she had never had the misfortune to meet a nasty person in the Macarthur area.

“One woman who offered to assist me told me she had also just passed her elderly person’s driving test and we agreed that having a driver’s licence at our age gave us freedom and independence, so we are not liable to be a burden on the community.’’

Mrs Pattison said she knew there were some people who were not nice at all but it had not been her misfortune to meet them so far.

“We all have our problems, but so far, that’s not one of mine,’’ she said.

Mrs Pattison, who worked at Lifeline Macarthur for 10 years, said she moved back to the Macarthur area to live in Leumeah 10 years ago after relocating from Tasmania, where she had lived for four years.

Before that, she lived at St Andrews for 10 years.

When she recovers from her knee operation, she hopes to return to studying at the U3A.

She also plays scrabble and enjoys creative writing, poetry and art.

“There are so many things to do each day,’’ she said.

“I’m very busy and I have a very active life.’’

Jo Pattison’s passions include art, creative writing and poetry.

JO PATTISON’S LETTER IN FULL

I’D just like to share my good feelings about living in the Macarthur district.

There are so many good, kind people here as I have realised since becoming increasingly disabled as I wait for a hopeful cure.

Where else have I had such good nextdoor neighbours? They are so understanding and ready to assist but not being intrusive.

My church family at Minto Anglican Church, I am very independent but have been grateful to accept their assistance with some shopping, lovely meals and warm hearted visits to keep me cheerful.

There is still laughter in my life as lovely folk I’ve never met before have a joke with me as they offer to assist me to my car or pick up things I so clumsily dropped.

One woman who offered to assist me told me she had also just passed the elderly person’s driving test and we agreed that having a driver’s licence at our age gave us freedom and independence so we are not liable to be a burden on the community.

I know we also have some people who are not nice at all, but it hasn’t been my misfortune to meet them so far.

We all have our problems but, so far, that’s not one of mine.