HowtoBeTruetoYou
斯考特·羅素·桑德斯/ScottRussellSanders
Iknewaman,averytall,gentleman,forseveralyearsbeforeIfoundoutthathevisitedprisonersinourlocalprison,weekinandweekoutfordecades.Hewouldwritelettersforthem,carrymessages,fetchclothingorbooks.Butmainlyhejustofferedhimself.Hedidnotpreachtothem,didn』tpickandchoosebetweenthelikableandthenasty,didn』tlookforanyreturnonhiskindness.Allthatmatteredwasthattheywereintrouble.
WhydidhespendtimewithoutcastswhenhecouldhavebeenplayinggolforwatchingTV?「Igoincaseeveryoneelsehasgivenuponthem,」hetoldmeonce,「Inevergiveup.」
Nevergivingupisatraitwehonourinathletes,insoldiers,insurvivorsofdisasters,inpatientsrecoveringfromsevereinjuries.Ifyoustrugglebravelyagainstoverwhelmingodds,you』reliabletoendupontheeveningnews.Butinlessflashy,lessnewsworthyforms,fidelitytoamissionorapersonoranoccupationshowsupincountlesslivesallaroundus.
Itshowsupinparentswhowillnotquitlovingtheirdaughterevenaftershedyesherhairpurple,tattoosherbellyandrunsoffwitharockband.Itshowsupincoupleswhochoosetomendtheirmarriagesinsteadoffilingfordivorce.Itshowsupinvolunteersatthehospitalorlibraryorwomen』srefugeorsoupkitchen.Itshowsupinunsungpeopleeverywherewhodotheirjobswell,notbecausethesupervisoriswatchingorbecausetheyarepaidgobsofmoneybutbecausetheyknowtheirworkmatters.
WhenmysonJessewas12,histeacherwasdiagnosedwithbreastcancer.Shetoldthechildrenaboutthedisease,aboutthesurgeryandtherapy,andaboutherhopesforrecovery.Jessecamehomedeeplyimpressedthatshehadtrustedthemwithhernews.Shecouldhavestayedathomefortherestoftheyearonmedicalleave,butassoonasthemastectomyhealed,shebegangoingintoschooloneafternoonaweek,thentwo,thenafullday,thentwodaysandthree.
Whenaparentworriedaboutthatshemightberiskingherhealthforthesakeofthechildren,theteacherscoffed,「Oh,heavensno!They』remybestmedicine.」Besides,thesechildrenwouldonlybe12once,shesaid,andshemeanttohelpthemallshecouldwhileshehadthechance.
Thetherapymusthaveworked,becausetenyearslatershe』sgoingstrong.WhenIseeheraroundtown,shealwaysasksaboutJesse.Ishestillsofunny,sobright,soexcitedaboutlearning?Yes.heis,Itellher,andshebeams.
Acauseneednotbegrand,itneednotimpressacrowdtobeworthyofourcommitment.IhaveafriendwhobuilthousesfromMondaytoFridayforpeoplewhocouldpayhimandthenbuiltotherhousesforfreeonSaturdayforacharitableorganization.Aneighbourmakesherselfavailabletointernationalstudentsandtheirfamilies,unravelingforthemthepuzzlesoflivinginanewplace.Otherneighbourscoachfootballteams,visitthesick,giveliftstothehouse-bound,tutordropoutsandteachadultstoread.
Icouldmultiplytheseexamplesahundredfoldwithouteverleavingmyarea.Mostlikelyyoucoulddothesame.Anycommunityworthlivinginmusthaveawebofpeoplefaithfultogoodworkandtooneanother,orthatcommunitywouldfallapart.
Tosaythatfidelityiscommonisnottosayit』seasy,painlessorfree.Itcostsenergyandtime,maybealifetime.