Blind But Blessed

The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman
with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and,
using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found
the seat he'd told her was empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her
lap and rested her cane against her leg.

It had been a year since Susan, 34, became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis
she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness,
anger, frustration and self-pity. Once a fiercely independent woman, Susan now felt
condemned by this terrible twist of fate to become a powerless, helpless burden
on everyone around her.

"How could this have happened to me?" she would plead, her heart knotted with anger.

But no matter how much she cried or ranted or prayed, she knew the painful truth
her sight was never going to return. A cloud of depression hung over Susan's once
optimistic spirit. Just getting through each day was an exercise in frustration
and exhaustion. And all she had to cling to was her husband Mark.

Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all of his heart. When she
first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help
his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again.
Mark's military background had trained him well to deal with sensitive situations,
and yet he know this was the most difficult battle he would ever face.

Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She
used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get around the city by herself.
Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite
ends of the city. At first, this comforted Susan and fulfilled Mark's need to protect
his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task.

Soon, however, Mark realized that this arrangement wasn't working - it was hectic,
and costly. Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to
himself. But just the thought of mentioning it to her made him cringe. She was
still so fragile, so angry. How would she react? Just as Mark predicted, Susan was
horrified at the idea of taking the bus again.

"I'm blind!" she responded bitterly. "How am I supposed to know where I'm going?
I feel like you're abandoning me."

Mark's heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be done. He promised
Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long
as it took, until she got the hang of it. And that is exactly what happened.

For two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from
work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses, specifically her hearing,
to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment. He helped her
befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her, and save her a seat. He made
her laugh, even on those not-so-good days when she would trip exiting the bus, or
drop her briefcase.

Each morning they made the journey together, and Mark would take a cab back to his
office. Although this routine was even more costly and exhausting than the previous
one, Mark knew it was only a matter of time before Susan would be able to ride the
bus on her own. He believed in her, in the Susan he used to know before she'd lost
her sight, who wasn't afraid of any challenge and who would never, ever quit.

Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning
arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus
riding companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of
gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, his love. She said good-bye, and for the
first time, they went their separate ways.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday . . . each day on her own went perfectly, and
Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!

On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying for her
fare to exit the bus, the driver said,

"Boy, I sure envy you."

Susan wasn't sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth
would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live
for the past year? Curious, she asked the driver,

"Why do you say that you envy me?"

The driver responded, "It must feel so good to be taken care of and protected like
you are."

Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, and asked again,

"What do you mean?"

The driver answered, "You know, every morning for the past week, a fine looking
gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you
when you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches
you until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a
little salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady."

Tears of happiness poured down Susan's cheeks. For although she couldn't physically
see him, she had always felt Mark's presence. She was lucky, so lucky, for he had
given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn't need to see to believe
- the gift of love that can bring light where there had been darkness.

~ Author Unknown ~

Life Is...

We never get what we want,
We never want what we get,
We never have what we like,
We never like what we have.
And still we live & love.

That's life...

The best kind of friend,
is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with,
Never say a word,
and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

It's true that we don't know
what we've got until it's gone,
But it's also true that we don't know
what we've been missing until it arrives.

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back!
Don't expect love in return;
just wait for it to grow in their heart,
But if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.

It takes only a minute to develop a crush on someone,
an hour to like someone,
and a day to love someone,
But it takes a lifetime to forget someone..

Don't go for looks; they can deceive.
Don't go for wealth; even that fades away.
Go for someone who makes you smile,
because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seems bright.
Find the one that makes your heart smile!

May you have
Enough happiness to make you sweet,
Enough trials to make you strong,
Enough sorrow to keep you human,
And enough hope to make you happy.

Always put yourself in others' shoes.
If you feel that it hurts you,
it probably hurts the other person, too.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Happiness lies for
those who cry,
those who hurt,
those who have searched,
and those who have tried,
For only they can appreciate the importance of people
who have touched their lives.

When you were born, you were crying
and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so that when you die,
you're the one who is smiling
and everyone around you is crying.

This message is also for those people who mean something to you,
to those who have touched your life in one way or another,
to those who make you smile when you really need it,
to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down,
to those who you want to know that you appreciate their friendship!

-Author Unknown-

Have a nice day!

The Crabby Old Lady

When an old lady died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Dundee, Scotland, it was felt that she had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through her meager possessions, it's quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Ireland. The old lady's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the North A slide presentation has also been...And this little old Scottish lady, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the authoress "" Goes to show that we"".....

AN OLD LADY'S POEM

What do you see, nurses, what do you see?

What are you thinking when you're looking at me?

A crabby old woman, not very wise,

Uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles her food and makes no reply""

Who seems not to notice the things that you do,

And forever is losing a stocking or shoe....

Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will,

With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill....

Then open your eyes, nurse; you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,

As I do at your bidding, as I eat at your will.

I'm a small child of ten...with a father ! and mother,

Brothers and sisters, who love one another.

A young girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,

Dreaming that soon now a lover she'll meet.

A bride soon at twenty--my heart gives a leap,

Remembering the vows that I promised to keep.

At twenty-five now, I have young of my own,

Who need me to guide and a secure happy home.

A woman of thirty, my young now grown fast,

Bound to each other with ties that should last.

At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone,

But my man's beside me to see I don't mourn.

At fifty once more, babies play around my knee,

Again we know children, my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead;

I look at the future, I shudder with dread.

For my young are all rearing young of their own,

And I think of the years and the love that I've known.

I'm now an old woman....and nature is cruel;

Tis jest to make old age look like a fool.

The body, it crumbles, grace and vigor depart,

There is now a stone where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells,

And now and again my battered heart swells.

I remember the joys, I remember the pain,

And I'm loving and living life over again.

I think of the years....all too few, gone too fast,

And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.

So open your eyes, nurses, open and see,

...Not a crabby old woman; look closer...see ME!!

-Author Unknown-

The Hug

It's wonderous what a hug can do.

A hug can cheer you when you're blue.

A hug can say, "I love you so,"

Or, "Gee, I hate to see you go."

A hug is, "Welcome back again."

And, "Great to see you! Where've you been?"

A hug can soothe a small childs pain,

and bring a rainbow after rain.

The hug! There's just no doubt about it-

we scarcely could survive without it!

A hug delights and warms and charms.

It must be why God gave us arms.

A hug can break the language barrier,

and make your travels so much merrier.

No need to fret about your store of 'em,

the more you give, the more there's more of 'em.

So stretch those arms without delay

and give someone a hug today!

-Author Unknown-