One happy man...

 

 

"This man has so much to feel bitter about. But he does not. He is consumed by the joy of life and interacting with others..."

I don't know him. I don't know his name. In fact, I don't know much about him at all. He is a new greeter at the local Wal Mart. There are some very distinctive things about him that set him apart from others. The first is his booming voice. I swear when he greets people, half the store can hear him. The other is he is handicapped. He is missing a leg and sits in a wheelchair.

That being said, there is one more thing about this man which really does set him apart from 99% of us. He is without a doubt, one of the happiest people I have met in my life. Period. This man, who I believe has a raft of health problems even deeper than missing one leg, has every right to be dour and sour to people he meets. But he is not. He burns with joy. Pure unadulterated, unrepentant, joy.

If you think you will be able to sneak into Wal Mart without being greeted by this man, good luck to you. He greets everyone with the same genuine smile and warm, booming voice. Whenever we go to Wal Mart and he is working, it adds a little something to my day. First, he always makes me feel better after I talk to him. Second, it humbles me. Why can't I be filled with that much joy each and every day? This man is half my age and probably has over twice the health problems I have. But you would never know it by talking to him. I have shared with my wife something I truly believe. This man is another example on how God puts other people in our lives even for the most subtle, yet important reasons.

So we are back home relaxing from an afternoon of running around. As I sit and reflect on our day's activities, I think back on our nameless friend at Wal Mart. Chances are he is still there, sitting in his wheelchair, laughing and chatting with everyone who enters the store. Until I find out his name, he will be known to me only as "one happy man". He is indeed a blessing to all.