For the last 20 years I have worked and volunteered with programs that help special needs adaults. I have worked as an aide, as a teacher, but most of all I have become friends with many of the people whom I have been blessed to meet.
Yesterday I attended the viewing of one such person. His name was Richard. Richard was a blessing on this earth for over 75 years, and was someone whom I admired. There was nothing special about Richard, except that no matter what happened in his life he was always happy to living. Richard had been struggling with leukemia and went through a tremendous amount of pain from his chemo.
I want to share this story because yesterday I realized that God finally called home one the greatest people who has graced this earth. The first day I met Richard was at a ceramics class that I was teaching. He came in did not say a word , but had a brilliant smile that never left his face. I had been having a terrible day, one that I just wanted to get over. At every turn Richard was there smiling and painting, he was the slowest person in the class and when I finally looked at the piece he was painting, I found that it was perfect. When I said something to him, his reply was "Thank you, I hope you like it, I wanted you to have it, because I hope it brightens your day." I felt as if I had been kicked by a horse. I watched Richard as he left and saw the amount of pain he went through just to get to the door. I asked him why he came to class if he hurt so bad. His replied, with that ever present smile, that he had too much to do before God called him, to be concerned with a little pain.
Like so many times in my life, God teaches me through those whi I am supposed to be teaching. As I sat there thinking on how I had wasted my evening feeling sorry for myself, a man who was slowly dieing, spent his trying to make someone else feel better. At Richards viewing, there were tears, there were expressions of sorrow, but not for Richard. His sister stated it best, for someone whom noone thought would amount to anything, it was amazing how much Richard effected everyone he met. Over 600 people from our community came to say fair well to Richard.
I wanted you to meet Richard, because he would have loved to meet you. Remember Richard when the breaks are beating you. Remember, that life is too short to worry about a little thing like pain.
Merry Christmas and God Bless
Aaron
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