Beautiful story Connie sent via email. Makes me hope I'm in-tune enough to do the same if I am ever required to.
A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside.
"Your son is here," she said to the old man.
She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened.
Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.
The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile.
He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital - the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients.
Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night.
Along toward dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited.
Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her.
"Who was that man?" he asked.
The nurse was startled, "He was your father," she answered.
"No, he wasn't," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life."
"Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"
"I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his Son just wasn't here.
When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed."
I came here tonight to find a Mr. William Grey. His Son was killed in Iraq today, and I was sent to inform him. What was this gentleman's name?
The Nurse with tears in her eyes answered . . . . .Mr. William Grey....
The next time someone needs you ... Just be there. Stay.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Tales From The Crypt, er Daily Life of Me
So, I have to post these "Overheards". Hope you enjoy.
At DiscoveryLand (where I babysit at church) wearing jeans with a torn out knee (purchased that way ...) little Jerry, aged 3, touches my knee while we were sitting crossed legged for the Bible story and looks at me quizzically and says "Your pants are broken". The styles of 2011 must be very perplexing to a toddler ...
Also at church. Auntie made an appearance in her wheelchair after a few months of touch and go health issues/arctic temperatures for too long. She was spunky as ever, with beautiful clothes on and Mora turns to me ,after I commented on how nice it was that she was there, and said "Yeah, the trouble is, noones going to feel sorry for her, she looks so good". Followed by her signature laugh that makes me warm inside :-).
This one is from work. Partner whom the company is named after and approximately 63 years old to another partner of the same peer group and says "Do you ever play Angry Birds"?
At a hockey game last year, but definitely worth mentioning: Britney's comment in regards to a video of Sidney Crosby was "I'd cougar that, would you"? Leave it to her to make the word cougar a verb. And thats why I love her.
Another Britney term. Another cougar term. When red wine stains yours lips, you have whats known as 'cougar lips'.
Now to Handley. In response to me telling him and Jonah that bullies get beat up on the playground (I was doing my best auntie/kind but stern lecture on them picking on Nate). He looks up from his lego and without missing a beat says "No, they don't. They just get telled on to the principal".
Thats all for now.
Cheers, Leanne
At DiscoveryLand (where I babysit at church) wearing jeans with a torn out knee (purchased that way ...) little Jerry, aged 3, touches my knee while we were sitting crossed legged for the Bible story and looks at me quizzically and says "Your pants are broken". The styles of 2011 must be very perplexing to a toddler ...
Also at church. Auntie made an appearance in her wheelchair after a few months of touch and go health issues/arctic temperatures for too long. She was spunky as ever, with beautiful clothes on and Mora turns to me ,after I commented on how nice it was that she was there, and said "Yeah, the trouble is, noones going to feel sorry for her, she looks so good". Followed by her signature laugh that makes me warm inside :-).
This one is from work. Partner whom the company is named after and approximately 63 years old to another partner of the same peer group and says "Do you ever play Angry Birds"?
At a hockey game last year, but definitely worth mentioning: Britney's comment in regards to a video of Sidney Crosby was "I'd cougar that, would you"? Leave it to her to make the word cougar a verb. And thats why I love her.
Another Britney term. Another cougar term. When red wine stains yours lips, you have whats known as 'cougar lips'.
Now to Handley. In response to me telling him and Jonah that bullies get beat up on the playground (I was doing my best auntie/kind but stern lecture on them picking on Nate). He looks up from his lego and without missing a beat says "No, they don't. They just get telled on to the principal".
Thats all for now.
Cheers, Leanne
Friday, March 25, 2011
Funny What a Flat Iron Can Do
After a day of wet hair in a ponytail. It was so hilarious, it had to be photo documented.
After velcro rollers, careful flat-ironing and smoothing serum.
After velcro rollers, careful flat-ironing and smoothing serum.
I think I look a lot like Ramona here.
Friday, March 11, 2011
A Sweet Little Love Story
I got this in an email probably 13 years ago and its had a profound effect on me. affect? I forget. Anyway - pardon the melodrama, but its a beautiful story and felt it should be shared.
John, a young soldier, stood up from the bench, straightened his army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through grand Central Terminal in New York City. He was looking for a woman whom he knew, but whose face he didn't. He would recognize her by a small rose in her lapel.
Their story began several years before in a Florida used bookstore. He bought a poetry book. When he got home and started to read it, he became intrigued not by the words of the author, but by the notes that were penciled in the margin. The words in a woman’s handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and an insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner’s name and hometown. With a great deal of effort, he found her address.
He wrote her a letter in which he introduced himself. The next day, Pearl Harbor was attacked. He enlisted and was soon shipped overseas.
He wrote again.
She finally responded.
They developed a correspondence.
A romance was budding.
Every time he requested a photograph, she refused. She said that if it was really meant to be, it wouldn’t really matter what she looked like.
Finally, the war was over, and John was to return from overseas. They scheduled their long-awaited meeting on a Friday evening at 7 o’clock at Grand Central. She wrote, “You’ll recognize me by the small red rose that I’ll have in my lapel. He got there two hours early.
Let’s let the young soldier tell the rest of the story:“At just about 7 p.m. a young woman was walking toward me. I stood up. She was the most stunning woman I had ever seen in my life. I started moving toward her, and then I noticed that she wasn’t wearing a small rose in her lapel.
When she walked past me she said, ‘Going my way, soldier?’ I was just about to follow her when I saw directly behind her another woman who was looking at me expectantly. She was much older than I had imagined and not as attractive as I hoped. She was wearing a small rose in her lapel. I wanted to follow the other woman.
But I didn’t.
I was clutching the book from the used bookstore that began it all. I was going to give it to her as a present.
“‘Hello, I’m John, I’m so glad to meet you.’ “ Even as I said these words, I was thinking of the other woman. ‘Would you like to go to dinner?’
“The older woman seemed confused and said, Son, I don’t know what this is all about, but that beautiful young woman who was walking in front of me pleaded with me to wear this small red rose in my lapel. She said if you were still going to take me out to dinner, I should tell you that she’ll be waiting for you in the restaurant in the hotel right across the street. She said it was some kind of test”.
See, I told it was great. :-)
John, a young soldier, stood up from the bench, straightened his army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through grand Central Terminal in New York City. He was looking for a woman whom he knew, but whose face he didn't. He would recognize her by a small rose in her lapel.
Their story began several years before in a Florida used bookstore. He bought a poetry book. When he got home and started to read it, he became intrigued not by the words of the author, but by the notes that were penciled in the margin. The words in a woman’s handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and an insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner’s name and hometown. With a great deal of effort, he found her address.
He wrote her a letter in which he introduced himself. The next day, Pearl Harbor was attacked. He enlisted and was soon shipped overseas.
He wrote again.
She finally responded.
They developed a correspondence.
A romance was budding.
Every time he requested a photograph, she refused. She said that if it was really meant to be, it wouldn’t really matter what she looked like.
Finally, the war was over, and John was to return from overseas. They scheduled their long-awaited meeting on a Friday evening at 7 o’clock at Grand Central. She wrote, “You’ll recognize me by the small red rose that I’ll have in my lapel. He got there two hours early.
Let’s let the young soldier tell the rest of the story:“At just about 7 p.m. a young woman was walking toward me. I stood up. She was the most stunning woman I had ever seen in my life. I started moving toward her, and then I noticed that she wasn’t wearing a small rose in her lapel.
When she walked past me she said, ‘Going my way, soldier?’ I was just about to follow her when I saw directly behind her another woman who was looking at me expectantly. She was much older than I had imagined and not as attractive as I hoped. She was wearing a small rose in her lapel. I wanted to follow the other woman.
But I didn’t.
I was clutching the book from the used bookstore that began it all. I was going to give it to her as a present.
“‘Hello, I’m John, I’m so glad to meet you.’ “ Even as I said these words, I was thinking of the other woman. ‘Would you like to go to dinner?’
“The older woman seemed confused and said, Son, I don’t know what this is all about, but that beautiful young woman who was walking in front of me pleaded with me to wear this small red rose in my lapel. She said if you were still going to take me out to dinner, I should tell you that she’ll be waiting for you in the restaurant in the hotel right across the street. She said it was some kind of test”.
See, I told it was great. :-)
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Time Flies Part IV
I BOOKED MY FLIGHT HOMMMMMMMMME!!!!!!! FEB 16 1PM for 9 days.
But before then, I have to find another place to live. I AM a modern day gypsy. And I hate it, its unsettling and anxiety inducing.
And remember my tattoo goof? Well, I had to get it touched up Friday night, the purple was fading, a natural part of the healing process. of a brand new tat. I was so scared to go, as I hate conflict, but I knew I had to stand up for myself in this situation and not be bullied into something I didn't want. Since he wouldn't call me or own up to the error.
It turns out, I won't bore you with the details, my prayers worked and I was calm and kind, and since he's going to do my next tattoo, and I got amazing advice from my bosses daughter who knows (tattoo artist) personally and told me how to effectively get what I want .... the end result is:
HE'S GOING TO PAY FOR THE FIRST THREE SESSIONS OF LASERING!!!
Because his name is on the line and I'm the second mistake in 7 years, and because I came to him with a plethora of references citing his work, and him as a person, he is doing this for me.
I asked if he thought I was over-reacting and he told me he couldn't believe how mellow I was about it. And I had trouble getting through to him because Erin at the front never told him I called .... so from now on, I'll deal with him directly through email.
So its not going to take a long time to get it lasered. I'm only getting the "d" in dance lasered completely, and the "ance" will just get faded and he can work around that.
So very relieved. I had pretty intense anxiety attacks about this. ACK! A year of putting thought into this, and carefully researching my choices of artists, etc. To have a mistake made broke my heart, but he's fixing it.
So very, very, happy.
Next up is a cross with "Called to Love" written under it. Gee, pretty soon, I"ll have the entire NIV inked on me :-). Just kiddin' Dad and Mom! Don't worry, it'll be the KJV.... Still kidding.
And that concludes the "Time Flies"Series.
Cheers,
LLMac
But before then, I have to find another place to live. I AM a modern day gypsy. And I hate it, its unsettling and anxiety inducing.
And remember my tattoo goof? Well, I had to get it touched up Friday night, the purple was fading, a natural part of the healing process. of a brand new tat. I was so scared to go, as I hate conflict, but I knew I had to stand up for myself in this situation and not be bullied into something I didn't want. Since he wouldn't call me or own up to the error.
It turns out, I won't bore you with the details, my prayers worked and I was calm and kind, and since he's going to do my next tattoo, and I got amazing advice from my bosses daughter who knows (tattoo artist) personally and told me how to effectively get what I want .... the end result is:
HE'S GOING TO PAY FOR THE FIRST THREE SESSIONS OF LASERING!!!
Because his name is on the line and I'm the second mistake in 7 years, and because I came to him with a plethora of references citing his work, and him as a person, he is doing this for me.
I asked if he thought I was over-reacting and he told me he couldn't believe how mellow I was about it. And I had trouble getting through to him because Erin at the front never told him I called .... so from now on, I'll deal with him directly through email.
So its not going to take a long time to get it lasered. I'm only getting the "d" in dance lasered completely, and the "ance" will just get faded and he can work around that.
So very relieved. I had pretty intense anxiety attacks about this. ACK! A year of putting thought into this, and carefully researching my choices of artists, etc. To have a mistake made broke my heart, but he's fixing it.
So very, very, happy.
Next up is a cross with "Called to Love" written under it. Gee, pretty soon, I"ll have the entire NIV inked on me :-). Just kiddin' Dad and Mom! Don't worry, it'll be the KJV.... Still kidding.
And that concludes the "Time Flies"Series.
Cheers,
LLMac
Time Flies Part III
While the mall I got the job at is 27 kms from my house, Maria asked me to house/dog sit while she was in England for three weeks.
I said yes, after a week of thinking about it. I would've said no if she had someone else to do it, but she didn't. So I was mom to a Newfoundland dog and a Bermese Mountain dog for 21 days.
(speaking of counting down :-) )
I am not a dog person. Period.
I will never do it again. Period.
Even for my beloved Maria. I will say no next time.
But her house is such a beautiful, peaceful haven retreat. And its only 7 or 8 kms away from the mall. I only had to drive into the city three mornings for work. The rest of the time, our office was closed for the holidays.
I got to relax and stay in a home and it was spectacular.
Bree and Britt came over the week of Christmas and we exchanged presents and drank wine and chatted. Heres something weird: We are very close friends. All three of us equally close but we don't see alot of each other, and it just proved how much we need to rely on each other ...
After an hour of chit chat, laughing, opening presents, eating, letting dogs out, the Newf dog knocking Britt to her feet (wish I had video, one of the funniest things I've seen in ages!!), we each had a turn with the conch (Remember the book in Grade 11 , Lord of the Flies) and it turns out, all three of us had something major and disrupting happening in our lives. We spent the first hour being goofy and silly pretending we were all ok.
It really opened my eyes to the importance of communication and prayer for each other (even when we don't know what is or isn't happening in others lives.) And how vital friendship is.
Those girls are the glue that have kept me together and kept me in Calgary. And it made me sad to know they were having troubles and I didn't know. But I didn't ask .... nor did they, I guess, but we've vowed to not let that happen again. ;-)
Thats all on that topic, folks,
Cheers,
LLMac
I said yes, after a week of thinking about it. I would've said no if she had someone else to do it, but she didn't. So I was mom to a Newfoundland dog and a Bermese Mountain dog for 21 days.
(speaking of counting down :-) )
I am not a dog person. Period.
I will never do it again. Period.
Even for my beloved Maria. I will say no next time.
But her house is such a beautiful, peaceful haven retreat. And its only 7 or 8 kms away from the mall. I only had to drive into the city three mornings for work. The rest of the time, our office was closed for the holidays.
I got to relax and stay in a home and it was spectacular.
Bree and Britt came over the week of Christmas and we exchanged presents and drank wine and chatted. Heres something weird: We are very close friends. All three of us equally close but we don't see alot of each other, and it just proved how much we need to rely on each other ...
After an hour of chit chat, laughing, opening presents, eating, letting dogs out, the Newf dog knocking Britt to her feet (wish I had video, one of the funniest things I've seen in ages!!), we each had a turn with the conch (Remember the book in Grade 11 , Lord of the Flies) and it turns out, all three of us had something major and disrupting happening in our lives. We spent the first hour being goofy and silly pretending we were all ok.
It really opened my eyes to the importance of communication and prayer for each other (even when we don't know what is or isn't happening in others lives.) And how vital friendship is.
Those girls are the glue that have kept me together and kept me in Calgary. And it made me sad to know they were having troubles and I didn't know. But I didn't ask .... nor did they, I guess, but we've vowed to not let that happen again. ;-)
Thats all on that topic, folks,
Cheers,
LLMac
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