The Blind Teaches The Blind

"When I was 5 years old my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment. I told them that they didn’t understand life.” – John Lennon

Hello Dear Friend,

I wonder if John Lennon knew that those words would become a famous widespread quote one day?

About 8 years ago I was working in a temporary role as a warehouse associate. My position basically had me working as a glorified hostess in charge of managing the placement of up to 300 warehouse volunteers. Even though I loved the people I worked with the role itself was basically a guinea pig role that I absolutely hated and wouldn’t have ever chosen on my own. That being said, if I had been working a different position that year I probably would have missed the lesson God had planned to teach me through a blind man.

Although I can’t recall that man’s name now there was this moment, one that I’ve since filed away in my mind. Every now and then that image gets pulled out like an old Polaroid picture from a scrapbook of memories. All at once I’m back inside that warehouse seeing that man’s face as he reminds me of the lesson, unknown to him, that he taught me one cold winter day leading up to Christmas all those years ago…

He came in with his family, a group of about 7 or 8 to volunteer. I first noticed the eyes that betrayed him quickly giving away the fact that he was blind. A moment later I saw the woman, most likely his daughter, standing so closely to him you’d think they were stuck together with glue. Clinging to her slightly as she guided him, they and the rest of their group approached me. I greeted them with a warm smile asking how many was in their party along with a few other questions before communicating my newly gathered information into my headset. When I had finished the woman released his hand from her arm so that she could come and speak to me. She let me know that they all knew her father wouldn’t be able to work alongside the rest of them but that he really wanted to help somehow, somewhere. I assured her that we did indeed have a couple of jobs that would be a fit for him. Before too long I passed the group off to one of the managers and I briefly let him know the situation before he took them over to their temporary work stations.

I went about my work and tasks and quickly forgot about that family until I later found myself over on the opposite side of the warehouse from my work station (most likely trying to track someone down). I was on my way back to my post when I just so happened to glance over at our break area and noticed one of the tables we had set up as our “Candyland” station. Candyland was just a couple of tables we had set aside, technically in our break area, at the front corner beside a big Christmas tree for volunteers to bag candy for us to use as filler items. It was designed for those who wanted to help us out but either couldn’t handle the physical demand from being out on the floor or just needed a break from it for a bit.

Anyhow, what had caught my eye was the older gentleman that had been led in by his daughter. His family had deserted him at the table where he sat bagging candy as they went off together to work as a group on one of the processing lines. Seeing him stopped me in my tracks and I just stood there watching. I watched his hands quickly moving over the table feeling for and grabbing candy as he stuffed the hard pieces into Ziploc bags. He wore the biggest smile as his busy hands worked away while he interacted with the other 3 or 4 volunteers working alongside him at the table. That smile lit up the room, or it did for me anyway. His eyes glistened just like those twinkling lights on that big ol’ Christmas tree and in that moment I envied that man. I envied what he had – pure joy. He had this unspeakable and immeasurable joy that shined so brightly on his face that moved me. I could feel my eyes begin water as they filled up with tears and I thought, “I want that.”

Like I mentioned earlier I hated the role I had that season and would have much preferred working on the floor smack dab in the middle of all the action. Instead I was on the side line pretty much isolated. But in the few seconds I spent observing this man I got the spiritual slap in the face that I needed to wake me up. You know the one I’m talking about, it quickly sets you straight as a voice breaks through whacking away at all the selfish petty thoughts you’ve been carrying around – “How dare you complain? You want for nothing. There sits a man living with a handicap that limits him and what he can do day after day. Yet there he sits happy and content and full of life. At the moment he is so much richer and happier than you.”

Blind and yet that man on that day gave what he could and served how he could. That day God called a blind man to bag candy and that man was obedient in his service to the Lord. He humbly served God in a way that he could. Sure it was in a way that probably seemed pretty simple and possibly small to him but God used that willing heart to soften mine. He used that man’s blind eyes to open mine and to help teach me to see what is better.

Isn’t it funny how we go about with our head stuck in the sand as we strive to make ourselves happy? Working hard and getting so caught up in the hustle that we forget to just look up and be happy. Instead of looking at all the good and gracious gifts we’ve been given we’re too wrapped up in the moment chasing after whatever version of the Champagne and Caviar lifestyle we’re cooking up and dreaming for ourselves so that all we can think about is getting and achieving more. Bigger house, nicer car, better appliances, gourmet food, prestigious lawn, the latest coming off the runway, trending hairstyle, new job title, all the while a nagging voice screams in our head more, more, more. More money, more power, more popularity, more friends, more square footage, more horsepower, more clothes, more education, more miles, more passport stamps and the list goes on.

During a time when I was unhappy and worried about my future it took a blind man to teach me to choose to be content with the kind of joy that can only come from the Lord. This is a lesson that God is constantly teaching me and I see that blind man’s face often as I learn to take things day by day and give what I have to give no matter how great or how small. God's teaching me to serve in whatever way I can with willingness and a joyful heart. He's reminding me that when I find joy in the Lord wherever it is that He has me that its there where I will find my strength.

With love,

a Poetic Soul