Gratitude
Written from the perspective of the homeowner.
Our house was directly across the street from Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to out-patients. One summer evening a truly awful looking man came to the door. His small body was stooped and shrivelled and his face was red, raw and lopsided from swelling. His voice was pleasant as he asked for a room for the night. He said he’d been hunting for a room since noon but it must be his appearance that keeps people from letting him stay. He said that a few more treatments will change that. For a moment I hesitated but his next words convinced me. “I could sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning.”
I told him we’d have a bed for him and he could join us for supper. He said, “No, thanks. I have plenty in this brown paper bag.”
He told me he fished for a living to support himself, his daughter, her 5 children and her husband who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury. He was grateful that his disease was not painful. Before he left the next morning he asked if he could stay with us during future treatments. He said that the children made him feel at home and weren’t bothered by his disfigurement. We welcomed him. Each time he came he would bring a fish, or oysters or something from his garden. I thought of the neighbor’s comment after the first visit, “Did you keep that awful looking man last night? I turned him away. You can lose roomers by putting up such people.” Our family will always be grateful to have known him. He taught us to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude to God.
An attitude of gratitude is a good slogan for the sunny side,
Henry Wiebe