My father lives in a nursing facility, and is known as MR. Linn, to all the aides and nurses. He has a tendency to complain a lot, and gets fairly vocal when he doesn’t get his way. His roommate, John, is on the opposite end of the spectrum. He is a very quiet man. He is twenty years younger than my father is, but he suffered a very major stroke that left him paralyzed on his right side. Although he has every right to complain, I have yet to hear him do so.
A few days ago, I went to see my father who was busy giving instructions to the nurse’s aide in the bathroom, so I sat down to talk with John. I asked him what he had been doing, and he gave a very nice reply, “Listening to your Mother.” (He has Aphasia, which keeps him from getting out the words right.) I told him how much I appreciated that he put up with my dad’s talking to himself all the time, and gave him a hug.
A couple of days later, I came in, and my dad signaled me to come over where we could talk quietly so John would not hear. Dad had tears in his eyes. I asked him what was wrong, and he said that he had been down in the hallway waiting for his shower, complaining about how they were always changing the schedule around, and how he got put back behind people all the time. He was sitting next to John, when John signaled the aide to come over and John whispered something to the aide. The next thing Dad knew, John was being wheeled off to his room. My dad asked why, and the aide said that he had let my dad go first.
Now this is not a little thing. It may seem like it to those of us who can go jump in the shower anytime we want, unassisted, but to the patients in that home, bath time is a big deal. They wait all week for that day, for those few minutes of refreshing. It is often the biggest day of the week for them.
My dad shook his head as he related this story, and in tears, he said, “He gave up his place for me.” I could see his heart was truly changed by what John had done. I was brought to tears myself by this selfless act of kindness. From someone who had nothing to give, he gave the only thing he had: his place in line for a shower. With that one selfless act, he showed his love for my dad and for me, even if we do not deserve it.
I thought about if I had ever given up my place in line, in traffic, or anywhere for someone who complained all the time. Or how many times have I set aside my own needs, to give to someone who did not appreciate it? Yet, here was this man, showing love to the unlovable, giving up all that he had, so that someone else could be blessed.
I can truly say it was a revelation. I can see that, in spite of his disability, the heart of Christ truly lives in John. He showed me a better way to live toward those who complain all the time, who make demands on you. He showed me that simply to give up my place I could make a change in someone’s heart. He showed me the heart of Christ, the one who gave up his place in Heaven for me.
Copyright © 2011 by Susan Linn-Gomez. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2011 by Susan Linn-Gomez. All Rights Reserved.
