My wife describes me as slightly more than opinionated, my friends and colleagues describe me as slightly more than weird, but harmless.
But I digress, and there is something I wanted to share with you guys and ladies. Now I have read a fair number of postings on this forum where members tell of a loved one or family member who is desperately and cruelly ill. And my heart feels deeply for them. But I will tell you of a story of encouragement that amazed me at the time, and stayed with me since then.
I personally new someone like this many years ago when I lived and worked in Italy. Rob was a friend of mine, and his dad was diagnosed with all sorts of cancers and tumours soon after Rob had finally married his childhood sweetheart. In a few months Dad's health was hitting rock bottom, and the doctors were giving him 6 weeks to 3 months tops. Rob had, by coincidence, begun an interest in marine life and fishes, so he had a huge fish-tank built in his living room, which he populated with all kinds of species of fish. He propagated coral and other kinds of plant life. All the machinery and mod-cons were fitted to the tank to make it into a thriving marine community. The filters, pumps and lights. And so on.
One day Rob noticed that when his dad came to visit, he would park himself in front of the fish-tank and watch it's goings on, and it seemed as if his Dad's wheezings and pain induced moans would slowly subside, as if the pleasure of following the surreal movements in the tank were kind of shutting his senses down and giving him a brief respite from the pain and discomfort. The visits became more frequent, and Robbie would leave his dad in front of the tank all afternoon.
To cut a long story, dad lasted not 6 weeks, not 3 months, but 2 whole years after having being given his check-out cards by the medical profession. The joy of it was , that dad survived long enough to meet and hold his first (and only) grandchild.
Now, I don't quite understand what went on, but I think that the gist of the whole story is that when your whole body and spirit are happiest, it can conquer the worst that disease and illness can bring.
