Hello and “Happy New Year” it feels good to be back, my wife and I became sick the day before Thanksgiving, we very seldom feel sick and then never for over three weeks. Thank you to everyone who made contact asking how we were doing and asking how you may help, your comments, wishes, and prayers helped us greatly.
While we were getting well (three weeks in bed) we watched a lot of TV, which included too many commercials, most of them added depression to our symptoms. “Take this prescription for heartburn. You may experience these side effects.” Or “If you have taken (prescription) and now suffer with…” “Our law firm can help.” Now add the constant barrage of updates on the pandemic, mandates, and restrictions and it becomes over whelming.
We (Ginny and I) try to maintain a positive outlook and greet each day thankful for our blessings, so depression did not fit well.
We picked the shows that we enjoy watching, and almost wore out the “mute” button editing the messages that upset us. As we began feeling better, we discussed the affects our illness had on us, and found our reasons to stay positive. The many wonderful friends that checked on us, sent best wishes and prayers, dropped off our much-needed items. The greatest delivery was the positive messages that gave us strength. My Grandmother used to say, “I felt sorry for the man who had no shoes until I met the man with no feet.” I have tried to keep that attitude all my life, the attitude that every day is a gift and another opportunity to give thanks and do something good.
Somewhere around our eighteenth day of staying in bed, as we watched yet another commercial, we received a powerful message. Over the years, I have used my position in life; be it as a singer, radio personality, actor, or Professional Wrestler I have made it a point to “pay blessings forward”, one of the ways being to visit the Children’s Hospitals, seeing these children smile, hearing them laugh, spending time with them is a feeling that I cannot properly express in writing. The Shriner’s Hospital for Children commercial is such a beautiful positive message of strength and bravery. This one has had his eleventh operation, another has had eighteen and both are so positive about their lives, others have missing limbs, are in wheelchairs, they play, they run, they laugh, all have smiling, positive attitudes. Wow, “I felt sorry for the man with no shoes, until I met the man with no feet” and saw him run and play and laugh, thank you Grams.