My Friend Dick
My friend Dick is 101 years old. He is a pillar of the Quaker meeting I attend and a consistent presence in the Bible study I lead on Sunday mornings. Dick smiles and nods approvingly as I teach and is an active participant in discussions, sharing his wisdom in a soft-spoken, homespun manner. I am humbled and honored that he puts up with a young whippersnapper like myself offering him instruction on Biblical matters.
Dick once told me his secret to long life: "I try not to get too stressed out about things.", he said. Many years ago, Dick's first wife passed away and he fell into a deep depression. It was the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" that pulled him through. Horatio Spafford wrote "It Is Well" in the 1870's after the death of his four year old son, followed by financial ruin in the Great Chicago Fire, followed by the loss of all four of his daughters when the transatlantic steamship they were traveling on sank. In Dick's darkest time, God kept bringing "It Is Well" to his attention. He emerged from the valley of the shadow of death and eventually remarried.
About a week ago, Dick's wife--a wonderful woman who is beloved by all--experienced a sudden and drastic downturn in her health and wound up in the intensive care unit. The prognosis so far is not promising. Dick and the rest of the family are bewildered and saddened.
Yet, this morning, there was Dick at Bible study--as engaged and engaging as ever. Later, when we gathered for our Quaker meeting, Dick stood among us as together we sang,
"I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
for his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me."
Dick sang heartily, with tears in his eyes.
It was then I realized that he is the one who has been teaching me.
Dick once told me his secret to long life: "I try not to get too stressed out about things.", he said. Many years ago, Dick's first wife passed away and he fell into a deep depression. It was the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" that pulled him through. Horatio Spafford wrote "It Is Well" in the 1870's after the death of his four year old son, followed by financial ruin in the Great Chicago Fire, followed by the loss of all four of his daughters when the transatlantic steamship they were traveling on sank. In Dick's darkest time, God kept bringing "It Is Well" to his attention. He emerged from the valley of the shadow of death and eventually remarried.
About a week ago, Dick's wife--a wonderful woman who is beloved by all--experienced a sudden and drastic downturn in her health and wound up in the intensive care unit. The prognosis so far is not promising. Dick and the rest of the family are bewildered and saddened.
Yet, this morning, there was Dick at Bible study--as engaged and engaging as ever. Later, when we gathered for our Quaker meeting, Dick stood among us as together we sang,
"I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
for his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me."
Dick sang heartily, with tears in his eyes.
It was then I realized that he is the one who has been teaching me.
2 Comments:
Thanks. Wonderful post.
Danny, I may not comment often but I do read your blog. This post is very touching. Thanks.
Susan
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