- Joined
- Jun 18, 2002
- Messages
- 5,048
First, let me preface this story by saying that after my neck surgery last March to correct impinged nerve roots, I have had some days where I have felt a bit bummed that my strength has not fully returned to the level it once was on my left side. But, have you ever had one of those random flash of light moments that puts things in an all new perspective?
Here's my story…
My wife and I took a beach vacation last week. I look really foward to just doing nothing by the water and stuffing my face with all the fresh fish and fried oysters that I can, not to mention, an ice cold beer or two. A couple of days after we arrived, I noticed a couple of Harleys in the parking lot where we were staying. They caught my eye since I like to ride… I thought to myself, someone is having some road fun. I didn’t think much more about it.
The next day I was returning from a workout at a nearby gym. I felt good but I was again feeling a tad bummed because my strength issue. As I was walking across the parking lot, I saw one of the guys standing next to his bike. He seemed my about my age so I walked up and introduced myself. We stood there for a few minutes and talked about bikes and riding. After a few minutes of conversation, I told him it was nice to meet him and that I was on my way to the pool to meet my wife. At that point, his eyes filled with tears. He told me his wife of 30 years had just passed away last month after a battle with cancer. I told him how sorry I was. I shook his hand and gave him a hug. We stepped closer to his bike and he showed me her little photograph which he had mounted over the speedometer behind the windshield. Painted on the rear fender was her name, the year of her birth and the year of her passing. She was my exact same age. He told me she got this bike for him years before, his voice began quivering a little. He said he and his friend had come up from central Florida to spread her ashes on the ocean. Suddenly I felt really trivial and vain about myself. Here I am bummed because I could not curl the same weight I was doing last year with my left arm and here is this guy, standing beside me, obviously in great pain, missing his other half and telling me he cannot imagine his life without her. And now, he has come to this place that was special to them to put the love of his life in her final resting place in the sea. Then he started apologizing saying he did not mean to lay all this heavy news on me. I said please do not apologize, its OK to grieve, I’ve been there myself. He thanked me for listening. The conversation then switched to food and restaurants and he was telling me where to get good pizza in the area. I smiled and said I live in a land-locked city, so I’m here for the seafood. We shook hands one more time.
I walked away thinking I should thank this man for unknowingly reminding about what’s truly important. As I approached my wife at the pool, I thought, wow, she looks especially beautiful today. My life is good. It doesn't matter if I am curling 25 pounds or 50 pounds. So what?
Here's my story…
My wife and I took a beach vacation last week. I look really foward to just doing nothing by the water and stuffing my face with all the fresh fish and fried oysters that I can, not to mention, an ice cold beer or two. A couple of days after we arrived, I noticed a couple of Harleys in the parking lot where we were staying. They caught my eye since I like to ride… I thought to myself, someone is having some road fun. I didn’t think much more about it.
The next day I was returning from a workout at a nearby gym. I felt good but I was again feeling a tad bummed because my strength issue. As I was walking across the parking lot, I saw one of the guys standing next to his bike. He seemed my about my age so I walked up and introduced myself. We stood there for a few minutes and talked about bikes and riding. After a few minutes of conversation, I told him it was nice to meet him and that I was on my way to the pool to meet my wife. At that point, his eyes filled with tears. He told me his wife of 30 years had just passed away last month after a battle with cancer. I told him how sorry I was. I shook his hand and gave him a hug. We stepped closer to his bike and he showed me her little photograph which he had mounted over the speedometer behind the windshield. Painted on the rear fender was her name, the year of her birth and the year of her passing. She was my exact same age. He told me she got this bike for him years before, his voice began quivering a little. He said he and his friend had come up from central Florida to spread her ashes on the ocean. Suddenly I felt really trivial and vain about myself. Here I am bummed because I could not curl the same weight I was doing last year with my left arm and here is this guy, standing beside me, obviously in great pain, missing his other half and telling me he cannot imagine his life without her. And now, he has come to this place that was special to them to put the love of his life in her final resting place in the sea. Then he started apologizing saying he did not mean to lay all this heavy news on me. I said please do not apologize, its OK to grieve, I’ve been there myself. He thanked me for listening. The conversation then switched to food and restaurants and he was telling me where to get good pizza in the area. I smiled and said I live in a land-locked city, so I’m here for the seafood. We shook hands one more time.
I walked away thinking I should thank this man for unknowingly reminding about what’s truly important. As I approached my wife at the pool, I thought, wow, she looks especially beautiful today. My life is good. It doesn't matter if I am curling 25 pounds or 50 pounds. So what?