Day 980

There are times in this life when you are so humbled that tears flow easily. After a stay in the hospital, our dear Don (101) is now in rehab for a bit. Ranger, Mac and I went to see him and were even honored by a harmonica concert. Daughter Jody was there when we arrived, so we had a lovely visit. His dear daughter told me that, after we left, tears filled his eyes and he asked, “What did I ever do to deserve you and Laurie?”

Tears still appear when I think about those words. This man has lived an amazing, adventurous life and he asks about deserving love and friendship? He served in WWll and almost lost his life. He met Charles Lindbergh. He built beautiful homes and cabins, raised three children, adored his wife throughout their decades of marriage and a multitude of other offerings to the world. On top of that, he is one of the kindest gentlemen I have ever known! He asks about what HE deserves…I am the one who is content to just be near him and wonders how I became deserving of his love.

In this life, we all receive different gifts. There are times when we feel like we don’t deserve the blessings that seem to fall into our laps. Other times, we are faced with adversity and try to not ask, “Why me?” Life certainly has its mountains and valleys, but if you can weather the bumps in the road and find gratitude in your heart for the “beautiful mountains” that seem to suddenly appear without an understanding of “deserving,” then life is a wonderful ride.

For me, today’s unexpected, humbling gift of love seemed undeserved…but I will cherish the words of this incredible man and hold them close to my heart…deserved or not.