Great Full Heart

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” ~ Epictetus, Greek Stoic Philosopher (55-135 AD)

It was 7:00 AM and William O’Shaughnessy was singing at the top of his lungs. “Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra, Too-ra-loo-ra-li” was supposed to be a lullaby. But the zeal with which William sang, even with his smooth Irish Tenor voice, made it sound more like reveille. Just as he was beginning the song again, for the second time, Emily appeared at the door, hands fisted on her hips. “Must you sing so early every morning?” she asked with a twinkle in her eye. “Yes, I must,” replied William with a brogue as think as Guinness. He gave her a wink and started into his second chorus. “But why do you sing every morning and why do you sing so loudly?” she persisted.

O’Shaughnessy stopped and looked at Emily for a moment. “I sing every morning because I can, and to remind the good Lord that I’m still here” he replied, grinning from ear to ear. “You see,” he continued, a bit more seriously, “I wake every morning with an attitude of gratitude and it so overwhelms me I just have to sing.” “Every morning I am grateful that I am still alive…that I am looking down at the grass instead of up at it.” “But that’s not the only thing.” “I am grateful to have a sweet face like yours to greet me, and food to eat, and a roof over my head and a warm bed in which to spend the dark of night.” “I am so blessed I can’t help but sing.” Spontaneously he resumed, “Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra, Too-ra-loo-ra-li”.

Emily just shook her head, grinning to herself. This had become their morning ritual. She crossed the room pulled back the curtains and opened the blinds. Mr. O’Shaughnessy’s singing went better with sunshine spilling into the room. She performed her duties delaying as long as she could. Finally there was nothing left to do, but the thing she dreaded most. She went to the foot of the bed and carefully pulled back the sheet and blanket so she could check the bandages.

William O’Shaughnessy had worked in the rail yards for 43 years before he had lost both legs, just below the knees, in what could only be described as a “freak accident”. He had been pinned between two freight cars for over an hour. “Battlefield amputations” were performed in an effort to save him, but giving him only the slimmest chance of survival. Emily still remembered the day they brought him in. It seemed from the moment he regained consciousness he had started singing or at least humming. The friends and family, who seemed to be there all the time, assured her, “He’s always been like this.” His big Irish voice announcing his arrival and departure with song. He caught her staring at his legs. “Have they grown any,” he asked with mock seriousness, then broke into a laugh. “They look just fine,” Emily replied with a forced smile.

Emily, replaced the blanket, stuck her hands in the pockets of her scrubs and headed for the door. “Do you think you could put some O’Donoghue’s beef stew and a Murphy’s Irish Stout on the luncheon menu?” he asked, almost hopefully. This tea and Jello diet is gittin’ a wee bit ald.” “I’ll put an order in with the Leprechauns who run the kitchen” she replied on her way out the door. His voice escorted her down the hall:

“Oft in dreams I wander, to that cot again.
I feel her arms a-huggin' me, as when she held me then.
And I hear her voice a -hummin' to me as in days of yore.
When she used to rock me fast asleep outside the cabin door.”

Bishop Emeritus Eugene John Gerber, of the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, one of the founders of Stewardship formation, has a famous saying “A grateful heart silences a complaining voice.” As Christian Stewards we are called upon to receive God’s gifts gratefully and to return them with increase.

Unfortunately gratitude seems to be viewed by many of us as something as perfunctory as the “thank you” we say to the speaker at the drive up window of our favorite purveyor of fast food. We treat it as if it were only a duty or an obligation to be grateful…a politeness or courtesy…a social convention.

In point of fact, gratitude, the ability to be grateful, is its own gift. It has tremendous power and helps us overcome many of the demons which assail us in daily life. Gratitude is not just a silencer of complaints, but it is a door to a happier life…a door we often have trouble opening due to the personal issues most of us share.

Disappointment, the unhappiness we experience, because we did not get what we wanted or expected, is a matter of us not being grateful for what we have. Happiness stems from wanting what you have, rather than having what you wanted.

More importantly gratitude helps us overcome the feeling that life has treated us unfairly. Disappointment is when we don’t get what we want, but the feeling of life treating us unfairly is a matter of “I was just minding my own business when something bad happened”; like a financial crisis or an accident. And here in lays the story of William O’Shaughnessy. Most of us would say that Bill O’Shaughnessy had “every right to complain.” It’s as if we are saying “He is entitled to be ungrateful.” Yet, his most grateful heart fuels a rejoicing voice rather than a complaining one. Some of us would call his seemingly hyper-positive attitude a coping mechanism. But, unlike some people who “fake it till they make it” Bill’s joyful exterior arises out of what lies deep within…a grateful heart. A heart which sees only the good things in his life.

Dear God: teach me to trade my attitude for gratitude.

“The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!” ~Henry Ward Beecher, Congregational clergyman, social reformer, abolitionist and speaker (1813-1887)

© 2010 James E. Carper. All rights reserved.

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