Humbled

We all have those days when things just don't go right. We have those times when something or someone is taken from us. It's just part of life and we learn to deal with it. No one's immune to it and sometimes we feel like we are the only ones. Some people seem to have it worse than others and some people never get over their pains.
I was humbled the other day by someone I barely know but yet I feel closer to her than I am to people I see every day. Consider this, the next time you feel that life can't get any worse, just take a look around you and I will show you a dozen people that have felt your pain and much, much more. And yet you would never know it. You can't see it in their faces. You won't hear it in their voices. And you would never know it unless you ask them. They're pretty, they smile and they live life to the fullest. You might look at them and wonder how they can be so happy and maybe it's because they have felt a pain that you could never imagine. And maybe it's because of this pain that they know that ever moment of life is precious. That if you live in the past you will never enjoy the life that has so much joy and happiness waiting for you.
Well, I only know her from meeting on Face Book, but some day I hope to meet her face to face, someone who made me believe again. She's someone who had her world totally shattered, not once, but twice in her young life and her motivation for going on... two other young lives that needed her more now, than ever. And you would never know any of this unless she told you because she smiles, she loves and she embraces life with an enthusiasm that is so infectious it will make you smile, too.
ST this is for you. You are an inspiration to me. If everyone could just be a little bit like you, what a wonderful world it would be... but you already believe that it is anyway. I hope that one day I will be fortunate enough to meet you. Smile.

Santa

Santa came early this year. I received a Christmas card from him, simply signed "Santa". I want Santa to know that "his/her" timing could not have been any better. You see, the card contained two Fifty dollar bills.
Santa, I want you to know that I really do appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity. I suppose that I could narrow down the "suspects" and figure out who you are... but I won't do that. I just want you to know that, once again, you have made me a believer.
Thank you and Merry Christmas, Santa.

For Someone You Know

The sound of just one tear dropping can be deafening,
The warmth of just one smile can melt the coldest heart,
The gift of just one prayer can last forever...

Wrote this in the spring of '06 "Angel"

She had no idea, but I found it recently and thought that I would print it...

Angel

An angel came to me today,
I knew this when I heard her say,
"My search is over, in you I've found,
the man I'll build my life around".

Her hair was golden and eyes so true,
to my knees, I thanked God for you.
She opened her world up for me,
and helped me set my spirit free.

Two worlds , our families would collide,
we braced ourselves for that ride.
But in each other we found a friend,
and took a vow, "till death will end".

In this woman I will always be,
hopelessly in love, why can't she see.
For God brought me an angel today,
oh please don't let her fly away.

A dose of reality

To Lane and Melinda.

   Today I was signing a couple of my clients to a purchase agreement on a house one was selling and the other was buying. They both work at the same hospital so it made my job easy. As I sat signing the first client, the buyer, she noted that I looked a little down and ask why. I told her that things were tough and I had to work extra jobs to make ends meet. I commented that our jobs must be similar in dealing with people and emotions. She simple agreed and the told me about her first 4 hours of work so far that day.

   A young man, about 42 years old, had come in that morning complaining about not feeling well. They proceeded to do some tests but every one came up negative. No signs or evidence of any problems. By noon, the man had died leaving behind 2 young children and his young wife. She continued to explain to me what a "code blue" was, which is a critical adult emergency, of which they have had 4 so far today. Then she told me about the "code pink" she had, which is an infant dying. And the day wasn't even half over.

   I ask her how she did it and she said, "it's my job, some days it's easy and some days push you to the limit... but I love it".

   Next I went up to the surgery waiting room where I met the seller for her signatures. She looked tired and exhausted, but she still managed a smile. She works in the respiratory unit of the hospital. She had been there since 6:30am that morning and it was now about 3:00pm. She was getting ready for the second part of her schedule. She hurried and signed her documents and then sat back in her chair to relax for a moment. She said that the last two hours of the day had been hell. She didn't go into any details but you could tell from the look on her face that it had to have been stressful. Every day she is saving lives and every doctor, nurse and patient depends on her to make the right decisions.

   Today I met two individuals that go to work and do the jobs that they were trained to do and they never give it a second thought, they don't have time. Their emotions are pushed to the limit and they are physically drained by the end of their shifts. And yet, every day they get up and go to work not knowing what they will have to deal with or if they will be saving a life. Nobody will ever know their names or even care about who they are, yet without them many of us could die.

   Thank you Lane and Melinda. I have been truely humbled by who you are.

Tim