“It is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Today in the wee hours of the morning, this world as my family knows it lost a sweet soul. My daughter-in-law’s Uncle Charles died. His heart gave out after successful bypass surgery. His illness was short-lived having suffered a heart attack on Monday he was gone three days later.
I did not know Charles well, but I loved and respected him because he loved his great-niece, my granddaughter Paige. In fact the last memory Paige and her mother, Debbie have of their Uncle Charles was only a week ago today when they sought him out at the Mall where he worked.
For those of you who did not know him, Charles worked in the Food Court at Hamilton Place Mall. Both physically and mentally handicapped, he was dedicated to his job and worked silently, always in pain and sometimes under the stress of his abilities. Falling or hindered in some way cleaning the tables and emptying the garbage, he continued to smile and greet customers.
Last Saturday, Paige and her mother were at the Mall and as usual looked up their Uncle Charles. It took him a second or two to recognize them, but deep in his heart, he saw them and remembered he had not given Paige a Christmas present. And without thinking about his own needs, he handed her $25 and wished her a Merry Christmas.
Charles was thinking from his heart, not his head. To be able to think from the heart is to live a life of love. He was afraid of people and yet he worked all day surrounded by strangers. He could not take care of himself and yet did not want to be a burden on his brothers and their wives. He struggled remembering what he had for breakfast and yet he saw Paige’s face and knew in his heart that she was special to him. He gave when he did not have to give. That is rich.
The world was a better place because of Charles Turner. I thank God I had the opportunity to get to know him and more importantly I thank God that my granddaughter was blessed to know such a man.
“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” -- Proverbs 23:7
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2 comments:
Sorry to hear of your loss. It takes a loving and generous heart to look pass the external and see the loving and generous heart in another.
I took your advice or a couple of weeks ago and began posting as of last night
Thanks
Jim
Priss.
Your kind words are sweetly recieved as I myself am still wrapping my head around this. . .
I'm very sad for my Dad and his 2 living brothers, but, I know since Charles had his car accident when he was 17, he has struggled on a daily basis. He was very kind, and would give anyone who needed help, anything he could. So much so that he would forget lending money and forget his own needs to help others.
Events happened very suddenly to take Charles away from his family, but I believe in my heart that it was time for Charles to be in a place where there is no struggle to walk, no job to have to get to, and no more pain that probably still followed him all these years later. He was a good soul, and I know he is at peace now. He will be missed by us here, but I know where he is headed, and folks there will be grateful to see him.
Love to you.
Vicki
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