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Money Don't Buy Everything

Well it is a beautiful Saturday morning here on the farm. The sun is bright in the big blue sky, the windows are open and the birds are filling the air with their happy songs.

I should be working! My house is a total disaster, the yard needs mowed and the poor flower beds are more like weed beds, but I find myself once again at my computer.  I have soft music playing in the background and my heart is happy. Pure happiness.  In my situation it feels wonderful because this type of happiness has been slow coming to my heart, my soul, my mind.

I know that there will be days that I feel just the opposite, but I will just remember that those days are passing. Really they need to come. They are "teachers" to me. They help me appreciate life and the real meaning of life. They help me to know that I'm on a journey and there will be rough waters and there will be smooth.

But today I must send out some thank you notes that are way overdo. Sometimes we get our greatest help from sources that we never dreamed would come to us. Sometimes our greatest help comes from someone who thinks that they can't do anything worth while for someone because of their situation. You are wrong. You are very wrong. It is you that I must thank from the bottom of my heart this morning. It is because of you that I have given "life" a serious thought and it is because of you that I can see beauty in the little things that I have taken for granted.  I appreciate your acceptance toward life as you know it, your thankfulness for all things, your humbleness. You always have a smile and are so gentle even if you are hurting. I really feel that God lead me to you, not for your benefit but for mine. Having the privilege of being your friend, has helped me in so many ways.

I can never put into words that feeling I get when I leave your little room in the Assistant Living building every Tuesday morning. I walk into your room and there you sit in your recliner, an oxygen tube runs from the mask over your nose to a machine setting by your chair. One of your legs is bent at the knee, and you are looking out the window. When I come in you turn and smile at me and ask "Do you want a cup of coffee?" Your so thoughtful, so kind.

I sit down in the rocker beside you and we start to talk. You tell me about when you were a young boy, about when you and your dear wife married, about when you worked hard on a ranch. I tell you about the pigweeds in the beans, about the rain we got last night, about how beautiful the day is today. When we are done talking, I take out the "Little House in the Big Woods" and we go back in time together as we read chapter after chapter.

After a little while, we hear the door open quietly and in walks your wife. She is back. It is time for me to leave. I bend to give you your hug. I tell you "I'll be back next week."   You reach up with your arms and hug me back. You give me that sweet little smile. I turn to your wife and I read in her face kindness, gentleness, appreciation. You both have given me a hundred times more than money could ever buy. You need me, and I need you. You love me and I love you. You have helped me to appreciate the things I take for granted, out here in my world. Thank you for just being you. Thank you for what you do to my heart, my soul, that nothing else can do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I walk into the second waiting room of ICU. You are sitting in the corner of the room in a recliner. At first I thought you were asleep, so I quietly look around to make sure everything is in order for you. Then I hear you ask  "Could you get the Hallmark channel on that TV for me?"  "Sure", I say. "What number is it? I don't have a TV so you will have to help me."   You say  "I'm blind so you have to help me.."  Together we work. Together we talk. Together we finally find the Hallmark channel.

You start to cry. My heart breaks. I walk to you and give you a hug. You reach up to me and hug me back. I sit down in the recliner next to you and you start to talk. Your heart breaks pour from you right into my heart. Your tears pour down your little cheeks and right into my heart, softening every part.

I can't tell you how much it meant to me that you trusted me. I can't tell you how much it made my heart melt to have you share your heartaches with me. I will never forget you. I don't even know your name, but that doesn't matter. You have given me something that went to the very depth of my heart and will stay forever.  Once again I have to say.  "Thank you from the bottom of my heart." You may not think you can give much, but you are wrong. You gave me more than a million dollars could ever give me.  You gave me pure happiness.

I walk into a little home. You are sitting in your chair there at the table. Your girlfriend is sitting on the couch. Your big smile covers all your face and you say "Hi we were waiting for you." I sit down on a foot stool there beside the couch and we all start to talk.  You tell me about experiences on your farm as a boy growing up. You tell me about making a fence around the sow pen. You tell me about life as you know it today. You tell me that you are accepting your condition. Your girlfriend tells me about her growing up days. She tells me about her fears.

We talk on and on. I tell you about our small farm. We visit the sale barn together, through the video I have taken. I tell you that I'm driving a neighbors pick up today because our car is in the shop. I read you a chapter out of my book. We talk and talk. We have become friends. The three of us.

It is time to leave. I tell you   "Well I have to go."   You respond with  "No not yet."   It breaks my heart but I have to go. You sit there so strong looking but yet so weak. I know that in your early years you were a very abled person. You are very able now too, just in a different way. You will never know how much you make my day. You and your girlfriend will never know how much happiness you put into my heart every time I visit you. You are in pain a lot but your gentleness, your softness, your kindness, does something that nothing in this world could do. As I walk out your door, I can't wait to come again. I find sunshine inside your walls, and I'm grateful.

I wrote this to show you why I can truly sing this morning. It is because of these beautiful people in my life. These and many more. The people who can bring a smile to your lips and a love to your heart, and a tear to your eyes. There are some things that money can not buy. There is a huge need for compassion out there. When you reach out to fill it, it comes back to you a hundred fold.

I know that there are many more people out there that show compassion everyday. I know that you give yourselves to the needs of another everyday. I know that your main goal in life is to make others comfortable. Just yesterday I sat at my desk there in the family room of ICU and watched with admiration, as nurse after nurse rushed by, pushing this instrument and than that one. I watched as doctors hurried past on their way to the ICU. I admired you. You were meeting to needs of another. One of you nurses stopped for just a minute and said to me.  "I bought this just now and don't want it. Would you eat it?"  There before me was a piece of pumpkin cake. How kind of you to share with me. See your thoughtful to all people. You didn't even know me. I just can't get over the wonderful feeling it does in my heart. I can't get over how long it took for me to see this need for compassion.

I know now that a deep, long lasting, happiness can come from those who think they have nothing left to give. You do have something. You have more than money could ever buy.  You have given it to me, and my heart is so thankful.






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