coal

I got outside the hospital walls today with the home hospice chaplain.  We traversed spartanburg and surrounding areas to meet some new patients.


One door was answered by a dainty, elderly woman.  Muriel welcomed us in and introduced us to her husband sitting up in a big recliner.  He had just become a hospice candidate and they were still adjusting.


Conversation flowed easily.  She told us of her childhood in West Virginia.  Her father was a coal miner and walked to work every day.  One day, at the age of 17, she was washing dishes and staring absent mindedly out the window watching the stream of miners passing her house.  One young man caught her eye.  The next morning she was working in the front yard, strategically by the front gate when the miners passed.  The next day she was out front again.  The handsome, young miner stopped to say hi.  They were married five months later. 


Sixty two years have passed.  Muriel told me "we've had a good life together.  God is good. Lots of great times, lots of hard times.  You have to choose to be happy, you know?  We chose to be happy as poor coal miners.  We chose to be happy when we had young kids and had moved to Oregon to a better business.  We choose to be happy now with cancer.  It's still a choice."


Wise words Muriel.  And your happy spirit is infectious.  Thank you.


But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.  Psalm 5:11