FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

The snow was starting to accumulate, as I pulled into my driveway. All my chores were done before the snow would hit, and I could take the rest of the afternoon and devote it to some work. As I settled behind my desk, it hit me; there was one piece of unfinished business I needed to take care of.

Jerry, the guy I worked with on the Fund Raising committee, was very ill, and I had not been able to talk to him for over a week. Every time I called his home, at any hour of the day, no one answered. On top of that, the message machine that asked to leave a message in his voice was changed. This made me particularly worried.

I picked up the phone and called a gal at the church, who might know his whereabouts. She answered and told me he was in a hospice center with just days to live, I felt my stomach drop, once again.

Dropping what I was about to do, I went on the Internet and located the Good Shepherd Hospice, and immediately jumped into the car.

I arrived at this building that looked like a cross between a small chapel or office building and entered. Inside was a very serene feeling, the large rooms were void of people and seemed to be almost waiting for something to happen. Searching, I found a station of three women and ask for Jerry. Locating him was a surprise, since I expected a hospital setting, and instead found a suite of rooms, laid out for visitors and was cheerful and comfortable looking.

As I approached the bed, Jerry lay there, and for a moment I thought he was well tanned, but soon realized that it was the result of his illness, the one that would soon take him away forever. Wearing a baseball cap that said: “Veteran, U. S. Army”, he looked up at me and weakly greeted me. He had a left over lunch in front of him.

“Four to five days, Joe.”

“Well God’s getting a good man, Jerry.”

He just lay there, not answering, but not showing any emotions. His first question after that was how my car was, if it was fixed.

I know we all must go sometime. I know we don’t know when. I also know that we all will deal with it when the time comes in our own way. His way was acceptance.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE;
My Nephew, GREG SCHNEIDER, Great Husband, nephew and father of Al!