Perspective & Compassion

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Up nice and early on Wednesday to visit a contractor for a quick safety talk. Of course there was a Christmas party set and the employer delivered gifts to his employees.

A nice relaxed meeting.

Yet before it all got started I was chatting with an employee about getting out there to Christmas shop.

"I'm not doing any this year," he said.

I figured that he was a lot like me and that he didn't get out there because his wife handled it for him, but that wasn't the case.

"I'm about to lose my car and then my house," he said. "I haven't been able to work because I got hurt and until I get surgery I'm in trouble. Disability just isn't cutting it. There won't be any presents under the tree this year. In fact, no tree!"

He actually laughed.

I wasn't real sure what to say. I asked him about his injury and he told me that it was just a freak thing that happened around the house, but he was certainly really injured.

"The money goes fast when there isn't a steady stream coming in," he said.

We chatted for a few more minutes and he assured me that he'd be fine.

"Christmas isn't about money," he said.

As I was leaving the meeting I saw the employee once more. He was carrying a box that was handed to him at the back of the room.

"What did you get?" I asked.

"Steaks, pork loins, a ham. It's awesome."

I shook his hand and wished him a great Christmas.

Yet as I drove away I couldn't help but feel a huge wave of compassion for the guy and for all the other guys and gals out there who are suffering as he is.

There are a whole bunch of reasons for the suffering. All kinds of people are certainly going through all sorts of things. The Buffalo News runs a feature about the neediest people in the community and a lot of times I don't read the story.

I just skip it because I don't want to feel their pain.

And I know that I've been blessed, for sure. I've had some physical problems, but I've been able to fight through them.

Some people just can't.

So, there's a whole lot to think about during the Christmas season.

There are people out there who need a little bit of help.

We certainly try to do that.

Yet perhaps the most important thing to come out of my early morning conversation was the fact that my perspective on the season was changed a bit.

We'll eat good.

We'll exchange presents.

We'll hang out with our loved ones.

And we won't take it all for granted.

I hope you don't either.

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