Cross to bear

Did you hear tale of the guy with MS who prayed to God about the cross that he has to bear?

God took him into a big room which was full of large crosses and told the guy to take his choice of all the crosses there. He wandered about looking at all these large crosses until he eventually found a little one and he told God that he would have that one. God said to him that that was the one he already had.

The moral is obvious: there is always someone else much worse off.

About 4 years ago, I was admitted into hospital with a nasty MS relapse.

After my wife had helped me into my pyjamas and dressing gown I went to chat with the guy in the next bed. He was reading, with his legs - I thought - under the blanket. I asked him if he would like to come into the lounge for a smoke with me (I gave that stupid habit up 2 years ago). But he said he couldn't as his legs (that I'd thought were under the blanket) had both been amputated because they had gone gangrenous.

This made me realise that, however dreadful I felt, in comparison I was a neurotic hypochondriac.

That guy in the bed next to mine in the hospital ward who had had both his legs amputated, was an ex-rugby player aged 47 years. That made me realise that in spite of the fact that I was paralysed by the nasty MS relapse complicated by my diabetes, in comparison to this other guy my illness was very minor.

The medication put me right, but nothing would give this guy back his legs.

Just the other morning when our telephone rang, I picked up the receiver with my right hand and put it to my right ear but all that I could hear was an indistinct murmur. So I said "Will you speak up please as I cannot hear you". Then I put the receiver to my left ear, but was forced to say "please don't shout!".

My poor hearing was just because of wax in my right ear that was later removed.

But it made me think about the millions of folk in this world who are always hard of hearing.

And recently, after an eye check, my optician kept my spectacles overnight to insert a slightly stronger lens. It was purgatory for me! I couldn't read or watch the television, peoples faces were a blur.

But it was only until the following day, again making me think about all those folk who are blind or have constantly bad eyesight.

I sincerely thank God for my many blessings.