15
December 2000
Subject:
A Change of Heart
Dear Ones,
It's Saturday and
time to take another marble out of the jar.
Have a GREAT day and
may all your Saturdays be special!!
Don
P. S. Always listen to your heart!!
A CHANGE OF HEART
It's the world we live in that made me
feel that way. Otherwise I wouldn't have thought for a moment about sitting next
to that beautiful young girl.
My recent trip to Kentucky ran smoothly
except for a near two hour delay in Pittsburgh. I must admit I have never had a
major problem while flying across this great country. In fact, I believe this
was the first time I have ever experienced a delay that long.
But I always tell my travel agent that if
ever I need to be delayed let it be in Pittsburgh. They have the greatest shops
and restaurants to keep me busy for hours.
They finally announced boarding. Now I
don't believe for a moment that I'm the only person who goes through this. From
the moment I enter the plane I start scanning ahead to see my seat. "Who's
sitting next to me on this flight?" I wonder. "Is there anyone in my
seat already?" That's happened a few times. "Are there any screaming
babies nearby?"
Flight time is precious time for me. I
sleep, write or read. So screaming babies and frequent bathroom people become a
problem.
Today I get to sit next to a beautiful
young girl who appears to be about 12 years old. As I approach my seat she seems
nervous, perhaps a little apprehensive and I must say very disappointed. You see
walking in front of me was this handsome young male teenager. I could see that
sparkle in her eye dim as he walked by and I sat down. I'll admit I was nervous
and concerned. She was traveling alone and I was one of those strangers her
parents told her not to talk to.
"Hi! My name is Bob," I said.
"Hello!" she replied without
giving her name.
Then we spent the next one hour and
fifteen minutes not saying a word. She was a typical kid. She never sat still
for longer than five minutes. Often times she reached into her carry on and
pulled out what appeared to be six brushes, four packs of gum and all the empty
wrappers, a bag filled with jaw breakers, a tube of rainbow colored sugar
crystals and three foot long licorice.
Oh, yes she also ate two bags of airplane
peanuts. I gave her mine. It wasn't until the last 15 minutes of the flight that
I heard it. That sweet-sounding Voice that said "Give her one of your
books!"
"She's only 12," I argued.
"She won't find my book interesting. Do they even know how to read at
12?" I thought sarcastically.
But again and again I heard it repeat,
"Give her one of your books!"
And so I opened one up, signed it and
said, "I am a professional speaker and author. I'd like to give you
one of my books if you would permit me."
She giggled a bit and said yes followed
by "Oh, thanks!"
I then began to explain the story.
"It's a fictional story based on actual events. I changed the names but
basically much of this is true. My oldest son, Keith had cancer and that's part
of this book."
"Oh, I'm sorry", she said.
"No need to be. He's doing just
fine, thank you. Where are you from?" I asked.
Then for the next ten minutes this young
lady never stopped talking. In fact, as we were leaving the plane she talked and
walked backwards down the aisle. Much of what she said was all a blur for me
after she said these words: "Wow, I just saw the Hershey Medical Center
mentioned in there. Is that where your son went for his cancer treatments?"
she asked.
I nodded "Yes."
"That's where I had my heart
transplant," she said with a big bright smile. Heart transplant. This child
had a heart transplant. Then I took notice. Right at the top of her pink
t-shirt, just below her collarbone, the beginnings of a scar peeked over her
collar. This vibrant young, beautiful girl had the heart of a donor. Obviously a
young donor who lived in a family who cared enough to save another child's life.
She continued to share the details of her
stay at Hershey. I continued to listen in amazement. For the story she told was
a familiar one. She was the girl down the hall we all prayed for. I never knew
how things turned out for her until today.
They say some lives cross because they
were meant to. This was more than a chance meeting. I discovered that this child
leaving Pittsburgh to go home to Kentucky was a patient in the same hospital, on
the same miraculous floor, at the same time my son was there. That little Voice
inside of me kept telling me to give her a copy of my book. I argued. The Voice
won...as always.
The last words she said to me
was..."My Mom always told me that God was going to call me home but then He
had a "Change of Heart!" Do you get it?" Then she giggled and
laughed as she walked through the last door into the arms of her loving family.
I got it. I heard the Voice say,
"Now you know why!"
"I believe in you!"
~ Bob Perks ~