We were at the VA, near the end of our task there, all that was left was to walk up to the window and receive the prescriptions from the pharmacy. As we entered the crowded room I heard my son say " hey, I like your boots man." and I looked.
I saw an old weathered veteran, he was dressed in very "mountain man" looking attire. The boots my son admired were leather and just below the knee with leather fringe about the tops. He quickly informed us that he was a resident of some place to the south, with a view of a mountain and a population of one. As my son stepped up to the window to complete our final task that day, I engaged the gentleman in conversation. He told us that he had his wife with him, and opened up his bag to show a beautiful box containing her ashes. He said that he takes her everywhere he goes. I told him I was very sorry for his loss.
We talked about his home, I asked him if he had a dog to be a companion and he stated that he had several cats. He enjoys nature, has conversations with mountain lions and rattlesnakes and as we talked he began to root around in his enormous bag searching for a camera. He informed me that his granddaughter had recently taught him how to use it. At last he finds the camera and begins to show me pictures, of his house, his cats, the memorial he built for his departed wife and the beautiful mountain view from his home. He even had a photo of one of the rattlesnakes!
He struck me as kindred spirit, for the photos he showed me were of beautiful landscapes, breathtaking sunrises, flowers and local animal life. I can relate to all that. I love the beauty of God's creation.
I asked him how long his wife had been gone, and he told me six months. He told me she was everything to him, and that she knew how to get things done, he is having to learn how to get things done. He said she was a wiz on the computer and cell phones and technology, and he is struggling now to figure it all out. You could tell by the slight shake in his voice that he missed her greatly, for a wealth of reasons, and that she had been the love of his life.
I asked him his name and told him mine, and introduced my son who had returned from the window. We chatted for a bit more. I told him I was so sorry that his wife had passed on, and told him "God bless you", we all shook hands and parted ways.
Thank You Lord for helping me to see this old veteran, to talk a bit with him, and to pray for him. I get the feeling he is going to be one I think of a lot and pray for often.
Some might think him a bit strange dressed in mountain man clothes, carrying his dead wife's ashes with him everywhere he goes, but upon stopping to sit a minute with him and converse I soon discovered that he was a lonely person trying to get by, a man who loves nature, enjoys flowers and beautiful sunsets a man who had a beautiful wife, who was dear to his soul, who had passed on to glory and left him behind. A man who greatly loved his wife and misses her terribly.
I think he needed someone to just sit a bit with him, to look at his photos, and just to listen. I am so blessed that God chose me for that task.
It was an honor to meet you sir, may God bless and keep you all of your days. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.