Today I worked hard. It was extremely hot today; 90 degrees, to be exact. We had quite a deluge of rain last week and my lawn had sprung to an unacceptable height. I finally whipped up the nerve to go and tackle it at around 1:30 this afternoon. Our home sits on nearly an acre of land and this is when I truly appreciate investing in a riding mower some years ago. I toiled for hours, it seemed. It was a good feeling, getting dirty and sweaty. I cut and I trimmed and I hedged and I raked and soon it was over. man, I wondered why I decided to live in a home with such a large yard.
As I was winding up from my labour, my wife had come home. She came to the back yard where I was working with a bottle of cold water in her hand. She told me some news she had just learned from a Facebook post. "Do you remember Stephanie"? Stephanie was a young woman in Louisville, Kentucky who worked at the YMCA after school program where David attended when my wife and I both worked for the VA hospital there. "She died in her sleep last night", she said suddenly and with disbelief. A few years ago when we lived in Kentucky Stephanie's oldest son, (he was about 15), fell into a coma while playing one day. She refused to let him die and had him placed in a facility where he could be looked after. She had such hopes that he would someday awaken. What a burden that must be on a mother's heart.
I froze for an instant; as if that would help me better understand what I had just heard. Suddenly the tiredness from working on my lawn dissipated. I had no more thoughts of things to complain about. In fact, I was happy to have had the strength to complete my tasks.
Stephanie was gone; leaving behind a young son, a husband and many friends and family.
After hearing this news I concluded that there was absolutely nothing bad about my personal day today. I realized that even in sadness I have life and even in sickness and pain I have breath. I have my loved ones to see, touch and speak to. The old adage which recants "Life is too short" is more true than we sometimes give it credit.
Love everyone.
I love you all,
Dennis
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