“Love each other like family. Be kind and understand each other." ~ 1
Peter 3:8
Not to be confused with pink or white, Ron was definitely a
“blue collar” guy. His dad was a Vietnam
War Vet who lost the ultimate battle with alcoholism. Ron was a fatherless boy who paid the
ultimate price for a country that sends its middle class to war.
Ron fixed cars for everyone in the neighborhood. He could listen to a car and tell you what’s
wrong. Nobody offered to pay him because
they couldn’t afford him. They all knew
he was worth far more than the money in their pockets.
He worked every trade on his way through life. He poured cement, remodeled old buildings,
and laid concrete. He had some carpentry
skills, but eventually settled on pipefitting.
Like the name implied, pipe fitters installed and repaired almost
anything that carries liquids or gasses.
They are often exposed to dangerous materials such as steam, flammable
gases, and various resins. He loved his
job . . . that was until the accident.
Devastation didn’t come close to describing Ron’s
outlook. He could no longer hear
anything or participate normally in the world around him. Ron began a heartbreaking journey from
isolation into depression. When he
considered the thought of returning to work, his heart would skip a beat, one
that could be detected by a seismograph.
“Am I ready?” he wondered.
“Will I ever be useful again? How
will I communicate with my buddies? Will
I be able to service that old boiler again without freaking out? Will the company resent me for what
happened?”
After almost six months off work, Ron got out of his car and
limped cautiously toward the factory entrance.
He had a lump the size of a piano in his throat. Maybe I’m not ready for this he worried,
considering a hasty retreat.
Sweating profusely and feeling a little lightheaded, he
offered a little prayer before walking into the plant. To his amazement, several of his colleagues ‘signed’
him phrases like “Great to see you Ron!” Welcome back, my friend!” and “We
missed you!”
While Ron was absent from work, seven of his closest friends
had gotten together and taken a sign language course. They wanted to be able to
communicate with him when he returned. And
for a fleeting moment, all was right with the universe.
Father, open our ears that we may hear the
cries of those lonely, those discouraged, those frightened and those otherwise
troubled. Open our hearts Lord, that we
may love each other as You love us. Amen
