Most times when I need something (a message), it seems to come to me.  I’m not sure why or how but it does.  I’m thankful for the opportunities and thankful that I can share them with you.

This week I went for a walk.  I needed some time to myself to think, without a kid calling my name, dishes needing to be washed or work to be done.  I just wanted one walk around one lake.

As I was walking I could see a man ahead of me with a white cane.  He seemed to have a hand over his eyes and was walking toward me.  I could also see that he was walking toward an area on the walkway that was submerged in water.  I could foresee a problem for him.

I ran up to him and told him that there was water ahead and asked if I could direct him around it.  He smiled and said, “Sure.”  As we walked he told me that he was holding his hands over his eyes to make everything completely dark.  He is losing his eyesight but currently he still can see light and shadows.  He was trying to walk his favorite lake to see what it would be like when he completely loses his sight.

I told him my grandfather lost his eye sight and that the crushing part for him was that he was an avid reader.  He told me that he loved reading too but that wasn’t what he was most afraid of losing.  (At this point we were at a bench and he asked if I could sit for a minute).

He told me that many years ago he met and completely fell in love with a woman. And although he didn’t initially “treat” her well, he realized her importance to him.  So, he made some changes and she eventually agreed to marry him.   He vowed that he would cherish her forever.  Since then, every morning, he looks into her eyes and enjoys the beauty of her face.  Over the years she’s gotten older – gotten wrinkles but he doesn’t care one bit – he loves looking at her as much now as he did then.  So, he said, his biggest feeling of sadness about his eyesight — that he won’t be able to look into her eyes every morning and see her age beautifully.

I started to cry.

I told him that I’ve heard many beautiful things in my life but this … well, I couldn’t even put words to it.

We got up, I took him to the path and wished him the best that life could offer.  He thanked me for helping (and listening) to him.  We hugged and he said, “You know what? I got the best that life could offer and I wake up next to her every morning.”

Deep sigh.  From life’s pain comes life’s beauty.

Have a wonderful day, my friends and keep your eyes wide open.  XO