Fwd: Just an Orange

Reminder that things are just things.  And as they say… You will leave it ALL behind!  Just a reminder to myself to appreciate the life I have :)

Donna,

I walked into my father's room in the ICU.

My father was hooked up to monitors and IVs.

He looked bloated, tired, and depressed. It was shocking to see the man who had always been so tough and strong looking so weak.

This man used to smash wasps with his bare hands. Wasp stings never phased him. I thought he was the strongest father ever.

Crazy and strong.

It was my first chance to visit since he went into the hospital. I flew home because my mom wasn't sure how much longer he would live. He had been trapped by the IVs and monitors for four weeks while the doctors tried to figure out what was attacking his body, already
weakened by MDS (a form of cancer).

The doctors seemed confident they would be able to help him.

As we were leaving his room to go for a walk, I asked him what he wanted us to buy for him.

He said an orange.

It caught me by surprise. When I was growing up, he drank lots of coffee and beer. He loved a good burger. I would never have guessed he would choose such a simple gift.

As my brother and I waited for the elevator, I joked with him that dad should have asked for a Lamborghini. He gave me a weak smile. Neither of us was in a good mood.

When we came back from our walk, I handed my father the orange. He was exhausted from a raging fever, little sleep, and constant interruptions by the doctors and nurses. Yet he still managed to smile from ear to ear when he saw the orange in my hand. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I cried.

The simple joy of receiving an orange made him feel so happy. I'm sure it was because of how trapped he had been feeling. He hadn't eaten an orange in weeks.

Simple joys in daily life matter more than the big things because they occur so much more often.

We don't need big wins in life to feel happy. Small daily wins keep our mindsets strong and make it easier to appreciate the big wins.

I realized I needed to open up my gratitude to the small things.

Bust the gratitude door wide open.

Thanks,
Karl

P.S. This is the first story from the book Bring Gratitude. If you want the book for yourself or to give to a friend. You can see if you want to buy it on Amazon.com.

Bring Gratitude, 2606 Whisper Hill St, San Antonio, Texas 78230, United States