His name was Rich B. It was August and he was approaching his senior in high school. Due to problems at home, he suddenly and unexpectedly found himself in need of a place to live.
I knew this because Greg came home from football practice one hot August afternoon and told me. Greg had a plan.
It didn't matter that our house was 22 feet square - that we had less than 1,000 square feet of living space. Or that we had three kids, three bedrooms and one bathroom. Greg had a plan. And that plan was for Rich B. to live with us for his senior year.
After checking with the school, we found that Rich B. was a great kid who was the victim of a bad situation - none of it, his doing.
I'll skip how we got there, but Rich B. came to live with us for part of his senior year. Richard was also going to be a senior and Greg was approaching his junior year.
Rich and I (are you beginning to see how many Rich's we had in one house???) traded bedrooms with the boys and the three of them moved into the master bedroom (11'x14') with a single bed and recently purchased bunk bed. We moved across the hall to the smaller bedroom. We had to put our dressers in the hall in order to fit in the bedroom with our queen size bed. Scott remained in the smallest bedroom (8'x10').
I could tell you about the sacrifices everyone made that year, but I can't remember any. It was one of the best years ever - for all of us. Our lives were so much richer and deeper and better for Rich B.'s presence in our home, our lives, our hearts.
Greg was the catalyst. Greg was the one who saw a need and was determined to answer the need. He was always a champion of the underdog. He had a bone-deep need to help any and all that he could. It was a pull that he couldn't refuse (and why should he?).
He was a force for the world. He was Kindness in the form of a man.
The world has lost a tender heart - and we don't have enough of them.
I am grateful that he was able to touch lives - love the unlovable - help the needy. He took care of so many people. I hope he's on the receiving end of some of that love and care now.
There's hole in the world where Greg used to be.
I knew this because Greg came home from football practice one hot August afternoon and told me. Greg had a plan.
It didn't matter that our house was 22 feet square - that we had less than 1,000 square feet of living space. Or that we had three kids, three bedrooms and one bathroom. Greg had a plan. And that plan was for Rich B. to live with us for his senior year.
After checking with the school, we found that Rich B. was a great kid who was the victim of a bad situation - none of it, his doing.
I'll skip how we got there, but Rich B. came to live with us for part of his senior year. Richard was also going to be a senior and Greg was approaching his junior year.
Rich and I (are you beginning to see how many Rich's we had in one house???) traded bedrooms with the boys and the three of them moved into the master bedroom (11'x14') with a single bed and recently purchased bunk bed. We moved across the hall to the smaller bedroom. We had to put our dressers in the hall in order to fit in the bedroom with our queen size bed. Scott remained in the smallest bedroom (8'x10').
I could tell you about the sacrifices everyone made that year, but I can't remember any. It was one of the best years ever - for all of us. Our lives were so much richer and deeper and better for Rich B.'s presence in our home, our lives, our hearts.
Greg was the catalyst. Greg was the one who saw a need and was determined to answer the need. He was always a champion of the underdog. He had a bone-deep need to help any and all that he could. It was a pull that he couldn't refuse (and why should he?).
He was a force for the world. He was Kindness in the form of a man.
The world has lost a tender heart - and we don't have enough of them.
I am grateful that he was able to touch lives - love the unlovable - help the needy. He took care of so many people. I hope he's on the receiving end of some of that love and care now.
There's hole in the world where Greg used to be.
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