Doing small things with great love…
Posted by Pat on December 10, 2012 in Uncategorized | ∞
One of my favorite book titles is…
” Old Age is Contagious, But You Don’t Have To Catch It.”
And it reminds us that we can throw away the calendar 
as an authority. Even medical doctors agree that aging is a completely individual process. They divide age into two separate categories; chronological age (the actual number of years a person has lived) and physiological age (meaning how old the body is in terms of deterioration).
as an authority. Even medical doctors agree that aging is a completely individual process. They divide age into two separate categories; chronological age (the actual number of years a person has lived) and physiological age (meaning how old the body is in terms of deterioration). Since this is so, two people who have a chronological age of 65 may have a widely varying physiological age, the one as low as 50 and the other as high as 80. So, at 65 one of the two is definitely old and the other is definitely not.
And, after all, Mr. Webster’s definition of the word ‘old’ is
‘outgrown usefulness…belonging to the past…shabby…stale.’
Not a word about the increasing need for glasses to read the menu or the additional wrinkles seen in the mirror!
Here’s a story I enjoyed in a new friend’s book that brought a smile to my face…
The nearly blind woman sat on the bench next to an old man with his white cane planted between his feet in the waiting area of the supermarket. They struck up a conversation.
He was waiting while someone shopped for him and she shared that she was too; that she had some sight, but not enough to recognize items on the shelves.
With that opening, he began sharing some of the coping tricks he had learned.
When she asked him if he had ever thought of getting a guide dog, he replied that he got along just fine with his cane. After all, he knew the town so well.
He continued, with a chuckle, “I have a little granddaughter who loves to take me for walks. I asked her one day if she would be my seeing-eye dog.”
“Oh no, Grandpa” she quickly protested. I can’t be your seeing eye dog ! I’m not old enough. I’ll be your seeing-eye puppy!”
Her response still brings a smile to my face when I think of it. And the thought comes to me that, obviously, even though I can never again tell someone I’m too young to help them; neither should I be tempted to tell them I am too old.
It’s all just mind over matter. If I don’t mind, it doesn’t matter!
Isn’t it interesting how many “reasons” (excuses?) we can come up with when we don’t want to do something,
or think we might not be able to do it well,
or that someone will find us laughable,
or that we might fail,
or…
I’m too old, too young, too tall , too short, too weak, too poor, too uneducated, too handicapped, too tired, too sick…
But there is always someone who needs what we have to offer and what we are. Let’s get our egos and fear out of the way and just try to help, to do something new, to contribute and participate however we can. Being able to do something is within each of us.
Besides it feels good!
As Mother Theresa said,
“In this life we cannot do great things.We can only do small things with great love ” –
So this special season, what do you choose to do,
great or small, with great love?
It definitely will feel good!