Service

Service:  An act of being of assistance to someone.

I am enough.  I have enough.  I do enough.

Happiness is the state of living in the present.

Today I ask that I may be of service to somebody else. (Ed. Note: And by "service" I mean anything, not just big things).

As I prepared to swim this morning I said hello to a fellow swimmer who has been absent for quite a while.  She was alone - sort of unusual because I always saw her in the company of her husband.  They have a very sweet relationship, checking with each other on about everything they're going to do.  I've talked with him a few times.  He obviously has some cognitive issues - he tells the same stories over and over - but he's a really nice man.

So she explained that her husband has been suffering from Alzheimer's and that he took a dramatic and fast-moving turn for the worst.  She was quickly overwhelmed and had to put him into a managed care facility.  He recognizes her sometimes, but not always.  It must be a miserable feeling to have a constant companion torn from your arms.  I can almost imagine that the clean break that death would provide would be easier than this slow drifting away, there but not present.

I listened carefully.  I am torn between concern for other people and this hidden, gnawing, sneaky feeling that I don't really give a shit.  This is mostly cynicism mined for the purposes of humor but part of me wanted to get my swim over with and not listen to this woman's troubles.

When she was done talking and I was excusing myself to swim I asked if she wanted a hug.  I calculated that our relationship was established enough to warrant a hug in a mostly undressed state.  She really leaned in and held on for a moment.  I like to tell people that my belief is that God gives the hardest tribulations to the best people.  She appeared to be close to tears.

I felt good about this.