Todays Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul

[Guest guest]

He Taught Us to Love

By Arline McGraw Oberst

Proudly I watched Russ, with his characteristic boyish grin, leave his

seat

to speak to a gathering of nearly two hundred people. A tear, bursting with

joy

and triumph, trickled softly down my cheek.

Russ was a lovable kid with a myriad of communication challenges - a

speech

impediment, dyslexia, auditory and large motor problems, mixed dominance and

two

left feet to boot. But today he is walking confidently, standing tall to

make

an acceptance speech for having been chosen one of the " Outstanding Young

Citizens " in Ocean County, New Jersey, because of his phenomenal volunteer

service in the tightly knit town of Toms River.

As I listened, I closed my eyes. A few seconds later, I could hear his

voice as a youth saying, " You know what I mean, " when he couldn't pronounce

a

word. He struggled valiantly to learn what those words meant. I closed my

eyes

even tighter, remembering a cheerful fourth-grader telling me how he had to

make

a speech about his science project and how the very thought of it made his

heart

beat " really fast. "

I found myself recalling other memorable moments. Like the days when I

used to help out with Meals on Wheels. I'd run in and make the delivery

while

my volunteer partner stayed with Russ in the car. Or the times I directed a

children's chorus and he'd be right there tugging on my leg. My mind was a

blur

of warm images of Russ as a loving, caring youth, a gentle soul, accepting

his

challenges. And now, as he stood at the lectern, I knew his heart must be

racing.

As Russ continued his speech, I thought about the fateful day he was

diagnosed with all those impairments and how proud his tutors would be if

they

could see him today. Here he was at twenty-nine, being honored for ten

years of

service as a volunteer fireman. Russ was responsible for organizing

clothing

drives for the homeless, teaching preschool children about fire safety, and

for

playing a sensitive Santa Claus for terminally ill children by driving up in

a

fire truck.

At the end of his speech, Russ thanked his parents for giving him a

good

life ? for instilling him with self-esteem and for teaching him about morals

and

integrity. Then, pausing for a few seconds, he looked intently at his

audience.

He took us by surprise by touching lovingly on the loss of his nephew,

Austin

Lee Hanning. Austin was just three years old when he died from a rare and

incurable disease.

At that moment, I had to close my eyes again before I unleashed a

different

set of tears. A hush fell over the room as Russ dedicated his volunteer

award

to Austin's memory. He concluded his speech by lifting the audience up with

the

compassionate warmth of these words, " Austin taught me how to love. "

I was in awe as I saw this young man come full circle ? from dreading

the

thought of learning and speaking words, to holding an audience spellbound by

his

inspired speech.

What made the occasion even more special was the fact that Russ, who

never

made it as the star of the football team, and who had never been voted " most

likely to succeed, " had risen to be a true " star " in his community.

Russ became a man of strong character by his unselfish dedication and

service to others. Labeled perceptually impaired, Russ now sees and acts

clearly with his heart. His words and deeds inspire everyone who knows him.

It

is Russ, our son, who " has taught us how to love. "

This time, my heart was beating " really fast. "

[Guest guest]

That was beautiful! Thank you for sending it!

HUGGLES,

Grace

Todays Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul

The Special Gift

By Adel Guzzo

was just a little kid, about eight years old. When I first met

him

one summer day he wore a Chicago Bulls cap and baggy shorts that needed a

belt.

He carried a bag stocked with four clubs and plenty of balls. Once when he

took

off his cap, I noticed he had no hair. He was a lot smaller than other kids

his

age. Still, he always seemed to be smiling whenever I would see him with

his

pals, trying his darndest to hit as far as they did.

I played with once in a while. He told me that he always had the

best

chance when playing a par-3 because he could usually make it to the green.

A year or so passed and I hadn't seen around the course. I had

heard

that his cancer was getting the best of him. Still, his friends said he was

going to try to get out and play a few times before fall.

Sure enough, he was there the following week. My group went out just

ahead

of him. I noticed that one of his buddies was carrying 's bag. " Watch

out! " I heard tell his pals. " I feel kinda lucky today! "

Despite his words, was having an awful time trying to drive the

ball.

He and his friends arrived at the last par-3. His friends had all hit, and

was up on the tee. He brought his club back and hit the ball as hard as his

fragile body would allow. It flew up to the green and out of sight. One of

his

friends helped walk up to the green. It was a tough walk because the

green

was higher than the tee. I could see searching for his ball as he

stopped

to catch his breath.

's buddies were looking for their balls behind the green. Out of

the

corner of my eye I saw one of his friends pick up 's ball and drop it in

the

hole. Then he ran and pretended to look for his own ball. He caught me

staring

at him and winked.

When finally got to the green he was disappointed because he

thought

he hit over. Then he glanced in the hole. What a smile lit up his face!

The

boys looked at each other and said, " You can't tell me it's a hole-in-one! "

" No

way, , that you put it in there! "

" No, really! Look! " he said. They all acted surprised and as I

watched, I

thought looked like the happiest guy I had ever seen. I never saw

or

his friends after that day. But it was then that I learned just what golf

should be.

It's not about what score you get or how far you drive. It is about

caring

for the friends you play with and enjoying the time you have with them.

To learn more about EDS, visit our website: http://www.ehlersdanlos.ca

[Guest guest]

That was beautiful! Thank you for sending it!

HUGGLES,

Grace

Todays Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul

The Special Gift

By Adel Guzzo

was just a little kid, about eight years old. When I first met

him

one summer day he wore a Chicago Bulls cap and baggy shorts that needed a

belt.

He carried a bag stocked with four clubs and plenty of balls. Once when he

took

off his cap, I noticed he had no hair. He was a lot smaller than other kids

his

age. Still, he always seemed to be smiling whenever I would see him with

his

pals, trying his darndest to hit as far as they did.

I played with once in a while. He told me that he always had the

best

chance when playing a par-3 because he could usually make it to the green.

A year or so passed and I hadn't seen around the course. I had

heard

that his cancer was getting the best of him. Still, his friends said he was

going to try to get out and play a few times before fall.

Sure enough, he was there the following week. My group went out just

ahead

of him. I noticed that one of his buddies was carrying 's bag. " Watch

out! " I heard tell his pals. " I feel kinda lucky today! "

Despite his words, was having an awful time trying to drive the

ball.

He and his friends arrived at the last par-3. His friends had all hit, and

was up on the tee. He brought his club back and hit the ball as hard as his

fragile body would allow. It flew up to the green and out of sight. One of

his

friends helped walk up to the green. It was a tough walk because the

green

was higher than the tee. I could see searching for his ball as he

stopped

to catch his breath.

's buddies were looking for their balls behind the green. Out of

the

corner of my eye I saw one of his friends pick up 's ball and drop it in

the

hole. Then he ran and pretended to look for his own ball. He caught me

staring

at him and winked.

When finally got to the green he was disappointed because he

thought

he hit over. Then he glanced in the hole. What a smile lit up his face!

The

boys looked at each other and said, " You can't tell me it's a hole-in-one! "

" No

way, , that you put it in there! "

" No, really! Look! " he said. They all acted surprised and as I

watched, I

thought looked like the happiest guy I had ever seen. I never saw

or

his friends after that day. But it was then that I learned just what golf

should be.

It's not about what score you get or how far you drive. It is about

caring

for the friends you play with and enjoying the time you have with them.

To learn more about EDS, visit our website: http://www.ehlersdanlos.ca