10/17/2014. My day Thursday: Near Sheridan, Michigan, saw a guy on the opposite side of the road walking toward me and picking up aluminum cans. We waved and smiled as we passed. An hour or so later I saw a guy on a golf cart retrieving his mail. It became obvious he was waiting for me to approach. “Where you goin’ and where you been?” He asked. I told him, and all my story. His name was Charlie and he was a retired pharmacist. He had a heart attack this year and an infection in his foot that turned into MRSA. He was hospitalized and nearly didn’t make it! Charlie told me he had recently had two panic attacks. I asked if breathing problems caused them. He looked down at the ground and explained that his neighbor had come to him about their property boundary lines and was claiming several feet into Charlie’s property. I said, “You have been given back your beautiful gift of life and you give a damn about a few feet of property? You are breathing in the greatest gift you will ever receive, your life! No matter how your neighbor’s claim works out, you are alive my friend! From now on, think about nothing but your precious gift of Life when those negative thoughts, brought on by fear of losing a few feet of property, begin attacking you.” I told him that it takes a lot of practice every single day to keep negative thoughts from controlling our Life. He said to me after we had talked long, “Steve, you are awesome. I wish my wife could have heard you.” It is the Love I felt in my heart for Charlie that is awesome. While we were talking, the guy picking up cans walked up to us. Charlie knew him. I shook his hand and introduced myself. I could barely understand him, he had a very apparent speech impediment. He seemed to be pretty much in his own little world. You could tell by the gentle way Charlie spoke to him, that he had a special place in his heart for the man. I said my goodbyes and left while Charlie continued speaking to the man. About half hour later, a young man in his early twenties, and his mother stopped to find out what I was doing. The young man was a successful musician and had a fantastic outlook toward Life. He had a lot of wisdom for his years. I saw in his proud mother’s face, where much of the influence to seek such wisdom came from. She asked me was I sure there wasn’t anything I needed. While they were both telling me how much they admired my endeavors, the sweet gentleman picking up cans walked in the ditch next to us to retrieve a can he had spotted. I reached out my hand as he walked by, we shook hands and he continued on his pursuit of earning money a very hard way. I LOVE LIFE because there is just so very much to Love and appreciate. My desire is to fully embrace Life and all its precious inhabitants, with all my heart.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Oct 2014 14:18:10 +0000