I had been cooped up in the house suffering from cabin fever after 4 weeks of recovering from the by-pass. My dear friend Bill Rutledge offered to drive me to Wal-mart to pick up my prescriptions. All day long I looked forward to his arrival and the drive out into the cool air and his company. By the time we got to the store all I could think about is this must be how many elderly folks feel when their son, daughter, niece, nephew or friend comes to take them to church or shopping--anywhere. This small thing was a huge event for me and perhaps it is for them as well.
I'm pretty sure Bill didn't recognize what an important service he was performing and I'm sure that you probably didn't either if you've ever done something so seemingly simple.
The great poet/country singer John Prine has a song about "old people" with a powerful line that goes something like, "...don't stop and stare. Say hello in there..."
Question? Have you said "hello in there?" lately?
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John, thanks for the wonderful words. They make me think of my grandfather who lives 4 states away. I call him on a very irregular basis. We have short surface conversations about weather and family and so on. But since my grandmother died he has always ended our calls by telling me how grateful he is for my call. "I'm not just saying that, I really mean it" he will say.
ReplyDeleteSaying 'hello in there' can certainly mean so much more than we realize.
Thanks so much Ethan for your comment and I'm sure he really does mean it. Short, surface conversations can still carry a huge message to those who don't get calls too often.
ReplyDeleteI hope you follow the blog posts and send them on to anyone you feel might find them useful. Take care--John
I always wish for pretty days in VT. where my main man Mike is doing pretty well at the Wick. Finals are upon the crowd! There should be a covered example for all you fellas. Semper Fidelis!
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