Life is hard. I mean really hard, and regardless of where we find ourselves on the journey all of us can use a little encouragement. I found some encouragement in of all places, a chain email. Now I am not a huge fan of the chain email, and truth be told I rarely ever forward them along. I hate the way many promise God’s blessing if only we take the time to share that email with 12 or so friends. This just in…God doesn’t use email, he’s ubiquitous, he doesn’t need it. God can speak directly to our hearts without having to hit send! If I do happen to send the chain email down the line I usually delete the promise portion at the end. Lets face it if your only motivation to pass something inspiring along is so you can be blessed, then that’s missing the point? Do you really think God is going to honor that?
So about a month ago I received an email that touched my heart and I decided to share it with a few friends of mine. One of the friends I chose to share the email with is a co-worker at ESPN that I only talk to a few times a year. I’m not sure why he was on my mind but he was, so I forwarded him this email and what transpired was nothing short of miraculous.
The chain email reads:
It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80′s arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.
I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.
While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health.
He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer’s disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him, “And you still go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?”
He smiled as he patted my hand and said, “She doesn’t know me, but I still know who she is.”
I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, “That is the kind of love I want in my life.”
True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.
Shortly after hitting send I received a this response from my co-worker at ESPN:
“Bro.. you just changed my Tuesday plans by sending me this… I’m now going to drive to NY after work tomorrow to see a very special relative who hasn’t known who I am in 3 years.. even 5 minutes to say a prayer by her side will be enough.. thanks for sharing.. you make many lives better.”
This is where the story gets great.
Wednesday night I received a phone call from my friend. I could hear the emotion and exhaustion in his voice. “Thank you,” he said in a voice that slightly quivered, “thank you. “You see,” he went on, “I have a 94 year old grandmother who is gravely ill. She suffers from Alzheimer’s and hasn’t recognized her family for years. My travel schedule is such that I decided that I wasn’t going to take the 2 hour drive to see her as she wouldn’t recognize me anyhow, but then I opened your email! When I got to the Hospital she was resting comfortably, so I simply sat quietly praying. Eventually I pulled my chair up beside her and held her hand and prayed and talked to her just like I’m speaking with you. While I was praying and talking my grandmother opened her eyes, she did not speak, she simply smiled her warm smile as she looked at me, her eyes thanking me as if she had been eagerly awaiting my arrival, then drifted back to sleep. I decided to setup camp in her room as it was late and I had a long drive that would be easier with a few hours of sleep and daylight! My Grandmother passed away just a few short hours after she opened he eyes one last time at 4 am. Thank you.”
Sometimes all it takes is a nudge, the slightest push, just a little bit of encouragement!
http://www.markschlereth.com/2011/07/01/encouragement/765/
