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I never cease to be amazed at how every year I get older I still learn things about life. This month I celebrate another birthday, and just before that great and awesome day arrives, I have learned another valuable lesson in life. My Dad just went through two heart attacks, angioplasty, and then open heart surgery, all within two weeks of each other. The fact that he is 81 years old is enough to get him down, but piling all of this other burden on him could only bring about more depression that my mind can even imagine. Somebody, I wish it had been me, came up with the brilliant idea of bringing Dad home from the nursing home where he is recuperating, to spend some time with the family, especially since it was the holiday season. I did know that it was affecting me, seeing him wearing down in that dreaded nursing home, even if we all knew that this was only a temporary situation. We didn?t really know if he would be even more depressed after being home with the family for just a few hours, or if it would cheer him up, which is what we were hoping for. Well, when we got there to pick him up, one of the nurses had already told him that we were coming. Did I forget to mention that this was supposed to be a surprise for him? Right away, this wasn?t looking like we made the right decision, but we were already committed to doing this, so we kept going. Dad was really upset, because the nurse had told him that we were coming, and they had served him lunch, so he didn?t know if he should eat or not. He was really upset, and just picking at the plate they had set in front of him. I asked him if he wanted to finish that food or wait and eat at home. He said that he just wasn?t hungry, because he was so upset, and that he just wouldn?t eat anything at either place. Once again, this isn?t looking like we made such a good decision. We went ahead and put him in the van and drove him to his house. He started talking about all the landmarks around, and this sort of cheered him up, at least it was taking his mind off the current situation. Finally we arrived at his house, but he still was upset. We entered the apartment and my sister and her family, and part of my family were already there. You could see his facial character brighten as he started talking with his family. Finally my oldest son and his family came in, along with my oldest daughter and her kids. Well, if the first part of the family wasn?t enough, those little babies walking around, giggling and laughing, just was more than his depressed state could handle. Something had to go, and it was the depression that left. Now don?t get me wrong, he was tired and exhausted, and ready to go back to the nursing home where it was nice and quiet when the four hours were over but he was not the same when he left as when he came. All the way back to the nursing home, he talked about how much better he felt, and how nice it was to see all the great grand kids, as well as the grand kids, and the rest of us old fogies. Now I have said all that to say this. In this time of holiday festivities, take just a little time to include one of your loved ones who may need a little nudge of kindness to get them over a major hump in life. Seeing some of the family and especially the little ones will brighten the life of someone in need. You know, I should mention those cute little kids. They didn?t do anything special, in fact they didn?t know that they were doing anything at all. They were just playing and having a good time, laughing and squealing, and running all around the room. Even thought the parents were trying their best to keep those little rug rats in line, someone was taking notice of all the joy that was in those little kids lives, and that was lifting his spirit like nothing else we had been able to do. It?s not the gifts that we give at this time of the year that really make a difference. It?s that little effort we make to say something to someone, or that smile we give. As all the kids were hugging Grandpa goodbye, they were really saying hello to a world of help to an old man who was desperately crying out, but our ears weren?t hearing him. Please do me a favor and look around you this month, start with your family, then look at your friends, then your neighbors, and then look at the strangers around you, and wonder if you can lift their tormented spirit just by a simple kind gesture. Why not spread a little bit of Jesus love at this special time of the year. Have a happy holiday. Deon Unthank

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