Turning Inward

"I had no shoes and complained, until I met a man that had no feet."

When I was a small child I often would sit at my grandfather's desk. Just barely old enough to read I would look at this plaque he had hanging on the wall - It said "I had no shoes and complained, until I met a man that had no feet." At first I thought it was the oddest thing and didn't understand its meaning, over the years I probably read it hundreds of times and finally I grew to appreciate those few words written on that plaque.

Without going into details yesterday was one of those days you are drawn into the closest of circles - the family circle. The rest of the world drops off into space and you are focused on one thing and one thing only your family member, the situation and how you can help.

Yesterday I thought of this saying that was written on the plaque that hung on my grandfather's wall. As bad as our situation was,  there had to be so many, many more that very same day going through far worse situations.

I have been very fortunate most of my life not to have had those all consuming events in my life. I felt so odd this morning when I woke up and I realized my vision yesterday had shrunk to probably no greater than fifteen feet at any given moment, color had vanished from the landscaped left with only the whiteness and glare from the recent snowfall.

There is a story to tell from yesterday's events and it will be told when the time is appropriate. I ended the day yesterday with knowledge that things are not as bad as they could be while at the same time far worse than you would ever imagine.

The next few days will be spent mostly in this small circle while we figure out solutions to problems, seek professional advice and remain close for support of each other. In the end when stripped of everything else - we are family.

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"An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind." ~ Buddha

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 "Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence." ~ Buddha

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"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries.

Without them humanity cannot survive." ~ Dalai Lama