astrid 2008-6-26 20:25
Something Special
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By Pam Bumpus
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[img]http://www.en580.com/attachments/pictures/englishwriting/Something%20Special.jpg[/img]9v.L]f[%x A
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"I would do something special for her. Not take out the trash without being
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reminded. Something special, something I wouldn't ordinarily do." With tears
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streaming down his face, the gentleman had just answered the reporter's
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question, "What would you do differently if you had known you might not see
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your wife again?" 8^&vQ iC~]*N2q-I
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Now, I personally think this is a pretty crappy question to ask anyone, much less
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the husband of a victim of a terrorist attack. The reporter seemed to have no
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compassion for this man whose wife's plane had been flown into the World Trade
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Center.
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"I'm just glad I kissed her good-bye and told her I loved her this morning," he q&[3bMj!z'wN9@i
managed to choke out. xx H3y]
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Of course, we would all act differently if we knew time together with our spouse
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was running out. My anger at the insensitive reporter simmered along with the
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disbelief and fear that had become part of my life since watching the results of
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the attack on America. "Stupid guy," I muttered to myself, switching off the
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television. Maybe I needed a break. I have that luxury. I can turn off the pictures AW+t1H n+sxu9K~:U
of the devastated buildings, despondent relatives and harried rescue workers.
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But could I turn off my feelings? My husband Alan and I farm. He was cutting a U8_V;BNWD
field of soybeans that afternoon. I decided to go take pictures of the American
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flag he had mounted on the back of our combine. With terrorists trying to cripple 9Nn }k!y
our nation, we wanted to show our support: The American farmer was still hard
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at work. KY3r7K ~5a h#Y
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Back at the house, starting a load of laundry, I found myself thinking about that
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interview. 'I would do something special,' played over and over in my mind. That
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gentleman would never have that opportunity now, but I did. I hope Alan and I sE)gh|
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have another forty years together. But there are no guarantees. Tomorrows are
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not guaranteed.
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'Something I wouldn't ordinarily do.' Well, his pickup could sure use a good
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cleaning. So I got to it. After about thirty minutes of vacuuming and scrubbing
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the interior, I was ready to wash the outside. I had one little problem: Starting o${-{&M9h-H/Hb;F
the power washer was a bit tricky. You had to choke the motor just enough, and 7|i4d!m u
the idle had to be set just so. The possibility of getting jerked on the recoil was
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significant. 'Something special...'Grabbing the rope pull I tackled it head on. Kia t B}\
Suddenly it was very important to me to accomplish this surprise for Alan.
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Several attempts later, with no success and an aching arm, I thought I might not
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succeed. 'Lord,' I prayed silently, 'I could sure use your help. I want to get this
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started so I can finish this for Alan. I really want to do this for him.' #i6x.f7ea\ MC(r
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The guilt hit immediately. How could I bother our Lord at a time like this? eo V*y:p7j E Z
Thousands were praying for their loved ones. Much more important prayers
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needed his attention right now. "I'm sorry, Lord," I whispered. How could I be so 7e:i o+r%T}!eoy2T
selfish? I had spent a lot of time in prayer over the past three days, asking for !f w'K&\ Q S ?+M.D
comfort for the victims' families, strength for our nation's leaders and healing for g8f7aF(MK~
all of us. My request for help now was automatic. I always ask for help when
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facing a difficult task. But it just didn't seem right to do so today.
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Defeat didn't seem an option either, so I pulled the rope one more time. The J%G'VC h y[#y,G
motor sputtered to life. h%~ `%[4xt6_$`
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Yes, Alan was surprised and grateful when he saw his pickup. And I was surprised 9C? o0Ez
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and grateful for the important lessons I learned that day. First of all, despite his
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tactless approach, the reporter brought home a very important point. Through his
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pain, the man who lost his spouse taught me to cherish mine. I will look for those 5l L L)MF9{|
"special" things to do for Alan.
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Secondly, and maybe more importantly, God does care about us, all of us. He
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hears the prayers of those whose suffering seems unbearable. He cares. And he
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hears those of us who need a little boost when we have set out to do something
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special for someone we love.