Friday Morning Inspiration

As you open your screens this morning to find out that a court case was just completed which proves to one half of America something that they already knew, and to the other half, well, something that they already knew – even if “never the twain meet,” as the saying goes – I’d like to request your attention for a minute, not because I have some market-moving news to impart, or because I want to trumpet my latest paper accomplishment, but perhaps just because it is a Friday morning in late Spring, or by chance the day has caught you in a pensive mood, or maybe just to indulge me because I do not typically post “stream of consciousness” musings that randomly occur to me.? Choose a reason.? I will warn you of only one thing:? this brief account will seem untrue, made up, a child’s tale – and I assure you that it is not.?

Every morning I walk our dog Willow at daybreak.? I like to go early because I prefer my walks to be more solitary and quiet.? I do however believe in the importance of small civilities between people sharing the same spaces, so I pride myself on being “friendly.”? There is a man whom I have been passing most mornings and some afternoons for the last several years – he has two nice dogs, and usually is walking with one or another of the morning walkers from the community.? One thing about him that is striking is his demeanour – seemingly almost always in a good mood, and a person with an endless inquisitive nature and fascination about everything.? On the couple of occasions in which we have, for some reason or other, spoken for more than the cursory “hello’s” I have learned a couple of things about him.? Last year, I happened to catch him on a day in which he had an appointment for some sort of medical clearance.? Possessed also of an inquisitive nature (somewhat concealing a self-deflecting one), I asked him a few questions and learned that this man was a bit of a medical rockstar – but not in the ”fame and fortune” kind of way.? A couple of years earlier, some sort of body pain or something (even my inquisitiveness has a line) had the medical people around him stumped.? As it so happens, after months and months of mystery, they found out what it was:? he was one of a mere handful of people around the world with a very, very rare and pretty much unanimously fatal form of cancer.? Flash forward to our discussion and several years later, it had appeared that the cancer was essentially gone – no longer a threat to him.? When he had cheerfully started to tell me about his health journey, my eyes surely dropped as I thought “oh no, why him?”? If I had received the diagnosis for myself or a loved one, I can only think of the resignation I would have felt to the approaching end.? But that would be me.? By the end of the conversation, this delightful man had turned this into a happy story with a happy ending.? The diagnosis: how fortunate he was that one of the dozen or so global experts in the affliction happened to be in the hospital that day visiting!? And how wondrous it was to find that it is actually someone not only in Canada, but right here in our city of Toronto, who was one of the experts in this diagnosis!? And truly what a fascinating experience to be a bit of a medical marvel with something so rare, all from an innocuous health concern!

So, you can already see where I am going with this, but please spare me just a final minute to complete the picture, which brings us to this morning…? Here I am walking along – not feeling at my best, if I’m being totally honest – a bit groggy – and along comes this man with his two dogs and another neighbour he often walks with since she lost her dog.? I round the corner, offer my cheerfully bland “good morning – nice day today,” and this is what I am met with from him:

“Oh, we were just talking about yesterday!? What a perfect day.? Everything…” He proceeded to document the perfect symphony of the day – a wonder in every way! – just one of those days one is lucky to be alive!? His immense gratitude and joy for the day that yesterday was could sustain that man likely for days.? And to be honest, his childlike enthusiasm could sustain me at least for a day or two just from inhaling some of the fumes.? So, do we think that his miraculous defeat of a one-in-a-million diagnosis is simply a mystery?? I know what I think.? What does he think?? As you may imagine, he doesn’t – he has another day, month, year, decade, he’s good – he doesn’t think about that.? Yes, he wants to be alive, but more than that he wants to live!?

I know this person’s first name, and with a bit of very modest neighbourhood sleuthing I am sure that I could come up with a full name to link, but he would not want that, and besides it would defeat the moral of the story here:? the fact that a legend like this can walk in our midst unnoticed can seem like a miracle.? But here is a person – just another member of just another community – with a unique story that can inspire others, just lying in wait.? And I would suggest that in every community, team, workplace gathering place, there are other miracles around us that the clutter and conflict that we accept as everyday life prevent us from seeing.? Each of us is that miracle in their own way.? Find and share your miracles.? Life is wondrous.? Stay well.

P.S.? Just sat down at my laptop and tapped this out in one draft, so please forgive any typos or nonsensical passages – what can I say, that person inspired me! ??