05/12/2022
When I got home from work today, my neighbour‘s friend was pulling into his driveway. I’ve seen him around sometimes, he’s a older gentleman and always seemed happy. I waved at him and then went inside to get ready to work out.
I was just working out in my garage with the garage doors open and doing barbell twists, when I saw the family friend staring at me from his car.
He waved after I finished my set and then got out of his car.
He asked me a question: “Do you think you are strong mentally and physically?”
I replied: “Mentally, yes. Physically I’m not quite there yet but that’s why I built this gym.”
He then said “Good. Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?”
I replied: “Sure, go ahead.”
He then asked: “If you had nobody left in the world, no brother, no sister, no father, no mother, no daughter, no son, could you live? Do you think you would be able to move on?”
I replied: “It would be hard but I think their memories would keep me going. Their memories would keep me strong.”
He then asked: “How can you be so sure? How?” while tearing up and it broke my heart.
I asked him: “Sir, is this what you’re going through right now?” And the look he had in his face could say it all. He broke down and told me that he didn’t know how he could move on. He told me that he has nobody else in the world now, “everyone is gone.”
Do you know what I told him? I told him that I believed he could get through this, that I knew he could overcome this because of all the times I saw him smiling on his way in to my neighbours.
He then said: “Things were different then.”
I replied: “Yes, things were different but you can carry those memories with you and live on to create more good ones. You also have John (my neighbour).”
He said: “John has his own problems. Anyways I’m going to go, but what’s your name?”
I said that my name was Harrattan and he said “I’ll see you next time then, Harrattan”. I gave him a light pat on the shoulder and then he went on his way.
I hope I do see him again.
Please be kind to those around you, you never know what they’re going through.