A Night to Remember

  Lorraine (not her real name) was wheeled into the party with a smile that would light up any room. She is pretty much confined to a wheelchair but you would never know it bothered her one bit by the way she laughed. You would never know it by the way she talked. I bet she loves parties. This night would not be any different. It was her time. This was her scene and she was alive. She gave me the biggest hug like we were old friends who have not seen each other in years. I wondered how a woman in her condition could be filled with so much joy and happiness. I am not sure I would feel the same. For her, the wheelchair did not win. It may have taken away her freedom to come and go as she pleases but it couldn't take her love and enthusiasm for being at a party. She beamed from ear to ear. It touched my heart and I could feel the tears begin to well up in my eyes. This night was about her though and she came prepared to have the time of her life.

 Corey (not his real name) walked by me with braces to help him walk. They were like crutches only there was a device that wrapped around each arm that extended from the crutch. I am not really sure what they call them. Whatever it was it helped the little man get around. He could not have been more than four or five years old. I watched him go by me with his mom and dad and siblings to the room where the family portraits were being taken. He was happy to be at the dinner party and dressed to the nines. He and I exchanged greetings as they came out to go to their table. Inside I was dying, not that he was looking for my sympathy. I just couldn't fathom what my eyes were witnessing. He is just a little boy with a whole life ahead of him. Yet, his feet never touch the ground as he glided by. My emotions were running high now. But again this night was not about me or my friends. It was about our dinner guests. It was their night in the spotlight. It was their time to shine and Corey was in party mode.

 A few weeks ago I blogged about throwing a party for nobodies. The truth is this is how they are viewed by most people. They get passed by every day and are looked at like they have something ungodly written on their foreheads. To me they are somebodies. They have names, like and dislikes and each one of them has a purpose. They have people in different walks of their lives who care about them though. We just wanted to show we did too. Well, my friends and I pulled it off. We held a dinner party and rolled out the red carpet (literally) for our new friends. We had food, drinks and entertainment. The love was contagious. Our guests were families that are a part of our local community. The night was tremendous. I remember sitting there at one point just taking it all in. It takes a lot of people to pull off what we did. It was our first time but I can pretty much guarantee it would not be our last. This was not charity. It was loving people without conditions. And they were teaching me the meaning of life. They were teaching me to be happy and thankful for what I have. It's a lesson sometimes I forget.

 As the night went on I had the opportunity to mingle with different people. I remember speaking with one woman who was there with her nephew and son. She was clutching the framed picture of the three of them in her hand. She could take the memory of the night with her. The boys were so polite and called me sir. They ate their food and looked at me like I was ten feet tall. To them maybe I was. As the night wore on I watched people pour more than just drinks into glasses. Love was present in this establishment. It was a different kind of love though. It was love without judgment. It is such a great privilege to give that to people. Joy filled the room and lives were touched. And it wasn't just those that came as our guests who were impacted. It's funny how that works sometimes. There is always a lesson to be learned or treasure of life to be grasped. I guess it all depends upon whether or not we are listening and paying attention. All of us can be taught. And you never know who the teacher might be.

 When it was time to go we gave out presents to the families. You could see the excitement in their eyes--especially the children. It felt like Christmas morning. The emotion of the night overwhelmed me again. Now they will be able to wake up like other children and be excited to see what they received. Strangers took the time to pick a name off of a tree and fulfill a child's wish for Christmas. In most cases the two parties never meet each other. I think it is better that way. Giving from our hearts should not include us looking for a "thank-you." Doing the right thing is not about trying to garner praise for ourselves. It is merely about doing the right thing. There is not an earthly reward for that. My friends and I were not looking for people's praise. We just wanted to throw a party for people who may never get invited to a party. It was not about pity but a desire to show people that we live our lives with a selfless perspective. I learned a lot that night and I can't wait to do it again. Remember, it's about the dash!