Happy Monday everyone.
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Most of mine had been spent preparing for ABNA and for the SCBWI conference. So needless to say I was quite busy.
However I did manage to get to the gym for my workouts and surprisingly it was there that I had discovered this year's first Earthly Angel.
For all my new friends that have never seen one of my EA posts, I will clarify what EA's are. Almost a year ago to the day I had posted my first EA post. It was during the Blizzard of 2011 in Chicago. A woman had been stranded from the two feet of snow and the whirling 70 mph winds. Her sister ventured out into that dangerous and blinding night and drove thirty miles in those conditions to rescue her.
She was an EA. True, honest, sweet, and caring humans that go beyond the norm to help someone else are labeled EA'S.
But to me the most interesting and most amazing EA is a stranger to the person they help. Today's post is about one such person.
As I arrived at the gym yesterday, a blind man, alone, entered just before me. I had asked if he needed help to the locker rooms ... no this isn't about me. He nodded, introduced himself and took my arm.
I waited a few moments, but he assured me he could manage on his own. Looking back, I reluctantly left and thought how much respect I had for this person. To move on with life, when something as precious as sight was taken away from him, is awe inspiring.
A few moments later, Tom (the blind man) was approached by a another member. Not a "team" member but another gentleman working out too.
I watched the caring patience of this man taking Tom from machine to machine, stacking the weights, guiding Tom with his form, and genuinely enjoying his time with Tom. For two plus hours, I glanced in between my sets. Tom's radiant smile visible in each of his movements.
Timing as it was, we all met in the locker room at approximately the same time. The gentleman shook Tom's hand and told him what a pleasure it was to meet him.
I left with Tom on my arm. Both of us singing the praises of the total stranger who gave so much of himself to help Tom through his workout.
This EA was truly a special man. May you encounter one of these special people in your daily travels through life.
IF you DO, PLEASE let me know. Leave a comment, or email me directly. I really do LOVE posting about these special people. I would like to post about these exceptional people bi-monthly, so keep an eye out for me, will you please.
Did anything special happen to you this weekend? I'd love to hear about it.
DON'T FORGET today is he first submission day for the ABNA contest... Click here for details.
Have a great day everyone.
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Most of mine had been spent preparing for ABNA and for the SCBWI conference. So needless to say I was quite busy.
However I did manage to get to the gym for my workouts and surprisingly it was there that I had discovered this year's first Earthly Angel.
For all my new friends that have never seen one of my EA posts, I will clarify what EA's are. Almost a year ago to the day I had posted my first EA post. It was during the Blizzard of 2011 in Chicago. A woman had been stranded from the two feet of snow and the whirling 70 mph winds. Her sister ventured out into that dangerous and blinding night and drove thirty miles in those conditions to rescue her.
She was an EA. True, honest, sweet, and caring humans that go beyond the norm to help someone else are labeled EA'S.
But to me the most interesting and most amazing EA is a stranger to the person they help. Today's post is about one such person.
As I arrived at the gym yesterday, a blind man, alone, entered just before me. I had asked if he needed help to the locker rooms ... no this isn't about me. He nodded, introduced himself and took my arm.
I waited a few moments, but he assured me he could manage on his own. Looking back, I reluctantly left and thought how much respect I had for this person. To move on with life, when something as precious as sight was taken away from him, is awe inspiring.
A few moments later, Tom (the blind man) was approached by a another member. Not a "team" member but another gentleman working out too.
I watched the caring patience of this man taking Tom from machine to machine, stacking the weights, guiding Tom with his form, and genuinely enjoying his time with Tom. For two plus hours, I glanced in between my sets. Tom's radiant smile visible in each of his movements.
Timing as it was, we all met in the locker room at approximately the same time. The gentleman shook Tom's hand and told him what a pleasure it was to meet him.
I left with Tom on my arm. Both of us singing the praises of the total stranger who gave so much of himself to help Tom through his workout.
This EA was truly a special man. May you encounter one of these special people in your daily travels through life.
IF you DO, PLEASE let me know. Leave a comment, or email me directly. I really do LOVE posting about these special people. I would like to post about these exceptional people bi-monthly, so keep an eye out for me, will you please.
Did anything special happen to you this weekend? I'd love to hear about it.
DON'T FORGET today is he first submission day for the ABNA contest... Click here for details.
Have a great day everyone.
28 comments:
Now that's someone with a heart of gold. Hopefully they meet up again at the gym. Sounds like he and Tom could be good friends.
There are beautiful people in the world. Sometimes we just need to stay open to receiving their presence. Uplifting post, Michael.
Tom's helper was a very patient man.
EAs are awesome! If I helped someone from their capsized kyack, does that count?
I left you an award on my blog today! :)
Wonderful post. I will be on the look out, though I'm not about much. My new doctor should qualify, though some would say she was just doing her job. But to me, she kept up with the questions until she felt she found the source. The other doctor ignored or discounted it when I told him.
I hope you win ABNA this year.
Cheers,
Nancy
Great story. Thanks for sharing it.
I need to read about people like this to dampen the cynic in me that threatens to overwhelm every so often. Thank you Michael :-)
What a great story. It puts a Monday morning smile on my face!
Your story inspires all of us to be that Earthly Angel to someone this day. Random acts of kindness may yet save this world from madness. Great way to start this new week, Roland
This is a touching post, Michael. I do have EAs in my life and I am forever thankful for them. I meet strangers who are good-natured and who show kindness and I am even more amazed when this is especially shown to my son who is disabled. Thanks for this lovely post.
What a wonderful story! Thanks for sharing this, Michael! There's a blind lady who swims at the club where the girls do swimming lessons. She's so capable, I'm constantly in awe of what all she can do. Just amazing. :o) <3
That's a great story. :)
Hi! :) This is a very, very cool story. How nervous Tom must've been to brave the gym and how wonderful he must've felt afterward...because of two EAs.
I LOVE EA posts. Very inspiring and hopeful for the human race. Love it. Hope you get all your work done for the conferences and have time to relax a bit!
Great story! This guy was definitely an angel!
That's amazing and definitely not something you see everyday.
You've made my Monday, Michael. I'll keep a lookout!
That's wonderful, Michael. So glad you were there to help, as well as the other man. So glad there are still people out there like that.
Lovely story, Michael. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I think it is important to see that there are good people in the world that are doing good things because it is the right thing, not because it raises themselves up in the eyes of others. :)
What an incredible man. These stories are so inspiring. I'll keep my eyes peeled for you, but these people seem to be sadly rare.
Hope you had a nice weekend - Himself made me the most gorgeous meal for my birthday, and I'm still glowing from feeling so spoiled!
Good luck with your ABNA entry
Lx
So awesome. It always fills my heart with joy to see true acts of kindness.
So are you entering ABNA? If so, good luck, my friend!!!!
Oh, bless. I love it when people help each other like that. Really sweet! Hope you are well my friend! ;)
What a heart-warming story. Nothing like helping a fellow human being. We need each other.
Been reading your previous posts. Loved the poem Michael. All the best for the comp. And all the best for the Best Writing Blog judging. I can't stand that asking people to vote so I'll be dropping out here. Nice to be nominated though.
My second last day of hols. Back to the grindstone in a few days time. Can't wait...
Denise
Oh, that's wonderful. Time is such a precious gift, so to help for so long... That was great of him. I think a gym would be such a scary place if you couldn't see, as the effect of a wrong move could be HUGE. heavy stuff. Moving stuff. Be really easy to smash a toe or something.
This is a beautiful story and so heartening.
What a wonderful story. Much luck on ABNA!
Been a long time since I have seen an angel but I know they are out there and I hear about them often. BTW, love your new picture! You have to be proud of the hard work paying off. Keep inspiring little brother :)
What an uplifting story, Michael. We need to hear more of these types of things, balance out all the bad news that's always on the air!
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