Wish I Had A Heart That Big
I read an article about Jerry Lewis's final appearance on the upcoming Muscular Dystrophy telethon. I was surprised at how touched I was. He will sing "You will never walk alone" and at 85 years old, thats no small feat. No small exercise to continue to head up the telethon even though he will not host it. The telethon made its first appearance in 1952, as did I, so I suppose I experienced it's power in one form or another through the years. Jerry Lewis raised over one and one and one half billion dollars over the course of his tenure as host and organizer. In my life I have a step daughter with a chromosone deletion and know first hand the amount of time, energy and money it takes to be a part of just one persons life with special needs. To have made the kind of difference in so many peoples lives that so desperately need it is kingly gift. When I consider my own tight fisted, stingy, behaviour, by comparison, I am embarrassed. I consider the things that I don't need but have to get. I wonder at the difference I would make in some ones life who does not have luxury of wholeness or the means of meeting their basic needs. In reading about Jerry's final appearance, I am resolved to give more, to think less of my own fortune and more of the fortune of others. I think Jerry Lewis is the richest man alive and his bank account is handled by God. I wish I had a heart that big.