~Word For The Day 03/26/2008~

The Word for 03/26
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

I'VE LEARNED..........That two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

CRABBY OLD MAN
When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Tampa, Florida, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Missouri The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem. And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.

Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses? .What do you see?

What are you thinking.....when you're looking at me?

A crabby old man, ...not very wise,

Uncertain of habit .with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food.......and makes no reply.

When you say in a loud voice.....'I do wish you'd try!'

Who seems not to notice ..the things that you do.

And forever is losing ......... A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not...........lets you do as you will,

With bathing and feeding .... The long day to fill?

Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?

Then open your eyes, nurse.....you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am ......... As I sit here so still,

As I do at your bidding, ....as I eat at your will.

I'm a small child of ten.......with a father and mother, Brothers and

sisters ........who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen .with wings on his feet

Dreaming that soon now. .......a lover he'll meet.

A groom soon at Twenty .my heart gives a leap.

Remembering, the vows......that I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now ........ I have young of my own.

Who need me to guide .... And a secure happy home.

A man of Thirty ........ My young now grown fast,

Bound to each other ....... With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons ..have grown and are gone,

But my woman's beside me.......to see I don't mourn.

At Fifty, once more, . Babies play 'round my knee,

Again, we know children ...... My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me ............. My wife is now dead.

I look at the future ..............I shudder with dread.

For my young are all rearing......young of their own.

And I think of the years... And the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man.........and nature is cruel.

'Tis jest to make old age ....look like a fool.

The body, it crumbles..........grace and vigor, depart.

There is now a stone........where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass ...... A young guy still dwells, And now

and again ......my battered heart swells I remember the

joys........... I remember the pain. And I'm loving and

living.............life over again.

I think of the years .all too few......gone too fast.

And accept the stark fact........that nothing can last.

So open your eyes, people ..........open and see..

Not a crabby old man Look closer....see........ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within.....we will all, one day, be there, too!

UNUSUAL PICTURES:
I get some very unusual pictures sent to me by readers that I will share with you.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
Something that you wont find at the big block stores? Beautiful birds in full color:

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY........
"He [King George] has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred right of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither." -- Thomas Jefferson (deleted portion of a draft of the Declaration of Independence, June 1776)

TODAY'S MYSTERY CONNECTION:
A lot of good "stuff" is sent to me or available on line that just cannot be included in the Word for THE DAY---- A link to these items will be included here each day. Our MYSTERY for today is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKCVS57j284

The WORD FOR THE DAY is an inspirational and humorous, one page article, refreshed each weekday. The contents are entirely contributions by the readers, so please send us your good "stuff". Just e-mail me at edstevens@eddoncorp.com. If you want to link to this page you are welcome to do so.
Sincerely, Ed Stevens