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Thank you My Soldier

Something happened in the surgery family room yesterday that I will never forget. I will never forget because it is imprinted in my mind and heart forever. There are some pictures that you witness that are just for you. A special lesson to the heart.  Here is mine that came to me yesterday.

Around 3:00 in the afternoon, two middle aged women came into the waiting room. They each were pushing a wheelchair. In one was a sweet little lady with a smile that would melt the world. In the other was a younger man. He was very disabled. He couldn't talk. I watched as those two women parked the wheelchairs and made their loved ones as comfortable as they could.

The woman who was pushing the young man came to my desk and asked if I had the remote for the TV.  "Sure" I said giving it to her.  "Thank you," she said, "This will give him something to do while we wait."  With that she walked back to the wheelchair and sat down beside this young man.

I walked over to them and introduced myself and asked them the name of who they were there for. After explaining the procedures, we visited for a bit before my phone rang and I went to answer.

After a little I looked up and I witnessed the lady gently take from her bag, a piece of cheesecake and a spoon. She started to feed the young man in the wheelchair. I just sat there watching. She was so gentle, so kind, so loving. He in return was so grateful.

Later I walked to them again. I bent down beside the older woman. I showed her my adult coloring book. "Have you ever seen one of these?" I asked.   She threw her hands up to her face, her eyes got big and she said, "Oh my dear....they are beautiful."  Her and I continued to flip through the book. We came to one picture and she said, "Oh I love this one. You really need to frame that!"

I said, "You really like this one?"  "Oh yes,"  was her answer.  I gently tore that picture from the coloring book and handed it to her. "This is a gift to you. Take it home and frame it."  She teared up and wrapped her old arms around me and said, "Oh dear, all I can do in return is pray a rosary to you tonight. I hope you feel it because that is all I can do for you in return for this."  I just sat there. Tears rolled down my cheeks too. That dear little lady.  So terribly thankful for the smallest thing. I loved her and knew that for always I will remember that day that someone said they would pray for me. A beautiful gift to my heart.

About an hour passed and I went to them again, just making sure that all was ok. This time I showed them a picture of a little baby who was born Sunday.  They thought she was so cute. I told them that this little girls daddy was over in Korea fighting for our country, but he was to fly home tonight."  The woman sitting beside the young man said to me. "Oh we are a military family. My husband was in the service for a number of years. He would still be if he was able."

I always make sure to thank those who fight for us so I looked at her and said. "I wish I could thank your husband but since I can't I will thank you. Please tell him thank you for me."

That is when the greatest lesson I have ever learned stood right in front of me!! I will never forget it. The most beautiful picture was implanted on my heart and in my mind for always. That woman turned to the man in the wheelchair and she placed her hand gently on his knee.  "She looked up at me and she said,  "You can thank him. This is my husband."

I'll tell you what, my dear friends, I was speechless. Totally speechless. I knelt down beside that wheelchair and threw my arms around that mans neck and said, with words that had more meaning than any words I have ever said.  "Thank you so much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

His wife said to him. "Tell her thank you." He looked at me and one of his little fingers went up. "That is how he says thank you." His wife said to me.  I just stood there. My heart heavy with love for these people who I had just met. These people that taught me the greatest lesson in my life. I looked across to my little friend in her wheelchair and I knew that she was his mother.

I went to my coloring book, brought it back to that young man and told him to point to the picture he likes best.  He pointed to a plain little picture and looked up at me. I slowly tore it from the book and laid it gently on his lap. But I knew then....I knew that no matter how many thank you's I gave him. No matter how many gifts I gave him. No matter how many hugs he got....I could never repay him for the gift he gave me.....never.....

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