Making Every Day Count

Every now and then, something happens to me that reminds me of how short and unpredictable life is. I can remember after my Dad died literally treasuring each day and trying so hard to make the most of my life. But, as time passes, memories fade, people get busy, work gets stressful, and I forget to wake up each morning and thank God for all of the ways that he has blessed me. Rather than being thankful for a new day on this wonderful planet, I'm moaning and groaning about going to work when the fact is, there are many people in this country who would kill to have a job like mine to go to each day.

Yesterday was one of those wake up calls for me. One of my coworkers named Robby has ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). He was diagnosed about four years ago. At the time, he wasn't working for my company. He actually worked for one of our clients. So, when I first started working, he was the first client that I met and interacted with. He was full of life and personality, and fortunately, he hung in there with me while I learned the ropes and never got frustrated. Robby was married and had a 6 year old son at the time (who is now 10). I can remember going to a meeting with him, and he had lost his voice. Initially, they diagnosed him with a paralyzed vocal cord. But as time went on and they ran more tests, they eventually diagnosed him with ALS. At first, everyone thought it must be a mistake. He was in the prime of his life with no symptoms other than the loss of his voice.

By the time he was diagnosed, he had left his previous job and was working for my company. He has years of experience in lots of different areas of engineering and was a tremendous asset to our firm. He worked up until January of this year, when working just became too much. He can't speak anymore. He has a permanent feeding tube and a permanent ventilator. After he was permanently put on the ventilator, he was confined to a wheelchair because the machine is too heavy to transport otherwise. But the most important thing that he has is the most positive attitude of anyone I have ever known. You see, he doesn't feel sorry for himself. He doesn't question why God would let this happen to him.

Yesterday a reception was held where he was honored by the Georgia Association of Water Professionals for his help with small water sytems in Georgia. At the reception, everyone stood and said a few words about what Robby has meant to them. It was so powerful to sit and hear about all the people that have been inspired by Robby. His wife spoke about her reluctance to turn problems over to God. She said that Robby has always turned things over to God and she has always "taken things personal." I found that so relatable. I know that I don't always trust that God is in control of the things that are happening in my life. I'm always the one asking, "Why me?". But, to sit and hear people who have as many obstacles to overcome as Robby and his family talk about bringing people to God, I felt ashamed. Robby's wife said that driving home from his diagnosis he said that if he could bring even one person to God through his situation, then the entire disease was worth it. And anyone who knows anything about ALS knows the gravity of that comment. It is a horrendous disease that causes muscle atrophy throughout the body, and many times, the patient loses control of all voluntary movement.

So, I am inspired once again to live life to the fullest. Tomorrow is never a guarantee, and I don't want to leave this world with any regrets. I'm so thankful to God for people like Robby who have the strength of character to persevere through difficult circumstances to reach people and make a difference.