The world is full of givers and takers. Thats one thing thats been on my mind for quite a few weeks...when you, very unconsciously (or even totally intentionally) happen to be around when you're needed...just say a few words, and let someone know that eveyrthing's going ot be just fine....You dont really feel like you've done something. But it'd mean alot to the person....and the words of gratitude that are earned just by your presence...thats something tough to handle. Anyway, this thought became more prominent when a friend brought up the give and take policy when we were having a conversation, (even though it was in a totally different context)...and...something else i read.
A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. "Your son is here," she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength.
Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital -the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, onlyheld tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her.
"Who was that man?" he asked.
The nurse was startled, "He was your father" she answered.
"No, he wasn't," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life."
"Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"
"I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me. I stayed.
"The next time someone needs you...be there. Stay. You'll be glad you did.
The world is full of givers and takers.The takers may eat better but the giver sleeps better.
Signing off...
6 comments:
k looks like am d 1st to read d post diva dat was so beutiful - d story reeely touching
ya n again ur title says it all - d world's full of givers n takers -n d person who gives is always d more happier of d lot na - very true
sand! that was a surprise...i was actually plannin on deleting the post. I thot u'd gone to bed...anyway, yeah i also found the piece touching...givers, takers, fathers, sons...
divs..the piece was touching di...and makes a lot of sense..i guess the quality has to be imbibed in you for you to be able to do either..but if course you may be able to change...
The takers may eat better [/quote]
gah...you spoilt the meaning of my give and take policy! :mad:
anyway...you know what my comment for this kind of posts are:
deep stuff.
and this time, as i did in the last "deep stuff" posts, i really mean what i say.
Anu - i din quite get wat u said. Perhaps u'd like to explain?
tsb - i already mentioned that it was in a totally different context! and from your comment, i infer that u...ate satisfactorily well? ;-) and...the deep stuff. I know u don say things unless u mean them ;-) ;-)
long time since i READ one of these...i remember getting fwds like this long time back...i was talking abt something a lil on the same lines with a friend a while back...he said a few ppl are gifted...to be the way the young guy was...but i think its what u choose to be...the way u see things...feel, think and (sometimes) react...which make u diff from others...and theres something else, a lil abstract maybe, that i believe in...u are ALWAYS, always,either at the giving or the recieving end...and both...
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