Respect Him

You are an island girl, only sixteen years of age. Both of your parents pass away. You are left along with your handful of siblings to live the island life of survival. Your parents were not amongst the wealthy echelon of families who could send their children to school. Thus, you are left with nothing but your head, your two feet, and two hands. The options, possible prostitution, or selling grocery products along a marche as they do in France. You choose the latter. nine years of heard work tilling the land and selling, you are now 25. You never date until you believe a good man has found you to be his wife. You have three children. Fast forward. Loved one number three passes and your good man is alive no more. Years later, you suffer a stroke. The end result, physical therapy and all of your sense of hearing lost for life.

How do you imagine you would live with no hearing after having lived as a hearing person for 60 years? How would your view o life change? I don't know what I would do necessarily. I do know that the young island girl is my grandmother and she has one of the most unique views on life that I've seen. One morning, she told me as she pounded her fist down onto the kitchen table, "You see God is a great God. This morning I awoke and the sky was practically white. This afternoon, it is blue and when it rains, it will be gray! God is a great God. You'd better respect Him!"

My grandmother is now 72 and has been living with her life changing disability. She never went to school so she never learned how to read or really write for that matter. She lives in America now and barely speaks any English. Her communication lines are just about non-existent because she's not abale to learn any sign language. Yet, despite her trouble, I believe her view point on life and God has changed for the better. You can suffer not being able to have a conversation, yet, you still have respect for the Lord and can find joy and comfort in something that seems as simple as a colorful sky.