The Journey

 

By G. E. Shuman

 

My brother-in-law, Art, is a great man. A retired, successful physician, Art has always been a very caring person who did well by his patients and still studies and seeks out treatments for people he knows are in medical need. His caring nature has helped our family in many ways over the years.

Art and my sister Barb moved to Florida years ago and have enjoyed their life together there.

In recent years Barb has become Art’s main medical concern, even over his own health issues. As I write this my dear sister is in a very real battle with a well-known, debilitating, and sinister disease. Art is doing absolutely everything humanly possible to help her enjoy her life.

Earlier in the summer Lorna and I had the opportunity to briefly visit Art and Barb in Florida. It was a difficult visit in some ways, but an important one for us to make. Through it we witnessed just how hard my sister’s husband is working to make her life everything it can be, for as long as he is able. I believe that his efforts are nothing short of heroic, and I have expressed that to him.

As we were saying our goodbyes that day, Art, Lorna, and I stood beside our cars with tears building and words hard to find. My heroic brother then said something I have yet to forget, and hope I never do. He simply said, “I’m on a journey.”

It was unusual that we had driven down to Florida this time, for this visit with them and the wedding of our grandson, Noah. Florida is not around the corner from Vermont, as you know, and I had many hours to think on our way home. I thought a lot about Art’s words, which I consider to be profound in meaning.

The thought occurred to me, and has never left me, that I am also on such a journey, as are you. A journey is a series of events, of experiences, of people and places, and none of this journey, including its length,  is a certainty. Indeed, we have not been promised even tomorrow. We are given only today to live ‘today,’ and that is enough.

Our trip up to Vermont from Florida that week was not done all at once; obstacles were avoided, thankfully, but there were slowdowns and difficult traveling at times. These things were all taken one at a time, as they came.

Such also is our mutual journey through life. Today is the only part of this journey that we have, for sure, and we can never see what might be around the next corner. For this reason, I believe that we should travel cautiously. I also believe that we should make every effort to help others along the way, and also to enjoy the ride.

Thank you, Brother Art, for your wisdom and all you do.