Thought 06OCT2008

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
I was home this weekend, "Mom-sitting." Mom was not feeling well and needed some help. Dad works part-time and with help from many friends and family, he helps Mom get around. This weekend, Dad told me the story behind one woman who helps. But first, you need to know a little about our house when I was growing up. My parents believed that as many of us as possible (there were eight of us kids) should get exposure to the world. Three of us were exchange students (Australia, Brazil and Holland). You'd think that this was their way of "unloading" us so as to lower the grocery bill. But, when we were gone, they'd invite other exchange students to stay with them (Australia, Holland and Japan). Mom's feeling was that it was easier to add a seventh or eighth kid in our house that it was to add a third or a fourth child in another family.

Nowadays, Mom doesn't entertain. She doesn't get around too well, so some of my brothers built a shower bath on the first floor. Every week, a nurse named Beth comes to help Mom with her bath. Dad recently told her how much she appreciated her coming and asked her as gently as he could why she was committed to helping Mom. Beth answered, "Oh, I guess you don't remember. I was your 'exchange' students from William Street when I was first born. You took me in as a newborn for four months when my mother was sick. It's great to be able to pay you back."
Mike Lynott - extracted from 'A cup of chicken soup for the soul', Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & Barry Spilchuk, Health Communications, Inc., 1996

Arrogance is a kingdom without a crown - American Proverb