Just stay

A nurse was working on the cardiac floor when one of her dying patients sent her out to find his son. He proudly whispered through his tubes that his son was in the army and here to see him. As she went out of the room, she bumped into a serviceman standing anxiously out in the hallway. "Come with me she said." And he followed. Heavily sedated because of a heart attack the old man dimly opened his eyes and saw the young uniformed serviceman standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand and the soldier wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp hands squeezing a message of love and encouragement.

The nurse brought a chair so the soldier could sit next to the bed. All through the night the young soldier sat there in the poorly lit room holding the old man's hands and offering words of love and strength. The nurse came in several times and suggested the soldier stop and rest awhile. He refused. He was oblivious to the time or the sounds of the hospital. He continued to say kind words although the old man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night.

Toward dawn, the old man died. The soldier released the now lifeless hand and went to find the nurse. She began to offer words of sympathy but the soldier stopped her. "Who was that man?" he asked. The nurse looked confused and said, "your father." "No, he wasn't. I've never seen him before in my life" replied the soldier. "I knew right away there had been a mistake. But I also knew that this man needed his son and his son just wasn't here. When I realized he was too sick to the know the difference, I decided to stay". "I came here tonight to find a Mr. William Grey. His son was killed in Iraq today and I was sent to inform him." "What was this gentleman's name again?", he asked the nurse.

Her eyes filled with tears, "Mr. William Grey" she replied.

Remember, We are not human beings going through a temporary spiritual experience

We are spiritual beings going through a temporary human experience.

Thanks so much Myra for sharing this touching story.

I know it's not what I typically blog about but I just had to share it. My brother is Army Ranger currently serving in Afghanistan so this story has even more impact in my life. I know my brother is the kind of soldier in this story, compassionate and self-less.

We love you Jamie!!!