Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Tuesday, August 14, 2018 -- Mattie died 465 weeks ago today.

Tonight's picture was taken on August 12, 2009. By this point Mattie already had his sternotomy to remove tumors in his lungs. However, despite all the best efforts to treat Mattie medically, we knew that he was losing his battle in this photo. Nonetheless, Mattie's care providers encouraged us to work Mattie's lungs, which was what this photo captured. Mattie wouldn't do it without one of us doing it with him. So Peter joined in..... illustrating two boys on a spirometer!



Quote of the day: When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die. ~  Eleanor Roosevelt

This photo was taken last year, as Peter and I celebrated my parent's wedding anniversary. Though Peter isn't with me this year, we are both taking my parents out to dinner tonight with friends. I am taking them back to the same restaurant we went to last year, because it is a beautiful garden setting and a special experience. 

Meanwhile, this afternoon we went for a light lunch. We went to a landmark tradition in Toluca Lake, called Paty's. Which is basically a 1960's coffeehouse, which has been serving local celebrities for fifty years. 

While we were eating outside today, two fire trucks pulled up and parked right by the green umbrella you see in this photo.  

Out from the trucks came about six Los Angeles Department firefighters. You could just see the camaraderie among them as they sat down together to eat lunch. In addition to that, they were all clean cut and very respectful men. How do I know? I know because I observed how these responded to patrons in the restaurant. Literally when patrons passed them on the way out of the restaurant, they stopped to thank these men for their service. Not just a thank you, but some people went on and on about the heroic feats these men perform on a daily basis. The firefighters listened and thanked them, but it was clear that they love what they do and helping their community. 

On our way out of the restaurant today, my mom stopped to talk to the men and thanked them for all the work they did to put out the fires in the foothills. Hills that are in the backyard of my parent's home. They responded with smiles and appreciated my mom's comments. As she was talking to them, I went back into the restaurant to track down their waitress. I told her I wanted to pay their entire bill. She was very sweet and thanked me for my generosity to them and to her. She then took it upon herself to tell the firefighters what I did. So when I left the restaurant, they literally asked me if I was the person who paid for their lunch. Several of them said I was too generous and they couldn't accept this gift. I told them to drop it, as I strongly believe in supporting people who freely give of themselves to help and serve others. With that, the fire chief got up to shake my hand and was visibly moved by my gesture. So much so that he could hardly talk. 

So here's the moral of the story..... sometimes the greatest gift you can receive is the feeling one obtains from giving to others. I know how I felt when a stranger bought dinner for me and my parents on Saturday at a dinner theater. That was a random act of kindness and the funny thing about an act of kindness.... it is contagious.