Tonight, I BEAR-HUGGED one of my closest friends (yes, he's a he). Now, I'm a hugger, so this is not an unusual occurrence. But, what made this particular hug different than countless others is that my friend has just suffered the second of two very significant losses in his life. This brother was, for all practical purposes, at the end of himself physically, emotionally and mentally. What's crazy about this encounter however is that I left feeling encouraged, energized and challenged.
For quite some time now, I have been watching this son/brother/husband/daddy take care of his sick mother and stand strong for the balance of his family. This has been one of the most impressive displays of selflessness that I have ever witnessed. Sure, there were times when I wished he could "take a breather" or "call a timeout" but, life and circumstances didn't allow it. You know, truth is, I wouldn't have blamed him one bit for whining a little, complaining some or just flat out throwin' a fit over what he has had to deal with. But he didn't. The tough spots only caused him to lean in more and press harder to serve.
For me, I guess the point is this. I want to be like my friend Dave. I don't want to wait. I don't want to be caught by one of those terrible life situations before I start "leaning in" and "pressing harder". What I know is this, tomorrow I will be surrounded by opportunities to encourage, laugh, share, love and serve. And, tomorrow, it might be easier to do than it will be the next day.
Nice.
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