Sometimes I meet special people who stand head and shoulders above the rest. This week that person was Ron[1]. We were having coffee at the Hub and he had just introduced himself. He had a cheerful appearance. What a nice man, I thought, and I inquired about his life. He told me his wife had passed away from Covid two months ago. But he had decided to keep going and not give up. Here he was at the age of 70. He had been an addict for 20 years and had been off drugs for 30 years. He wanted to be an example for the people around him. So, he decided visit older people and drink coffee with them. He told me he never arrives empty-handed, because his wife had told him that if he wanted to continue the missionary work they had been doing, he should always bring something small for the people he wanted to visit. He is one of the beautiful people on the island, who have become wise through trial and error, wanting to be an example to those around them. Tomorrow, he has to go to the hospital for a minor operation. Later this week I’m going to have coffee with him. And I will not arrive empty-handed.
[1] Fictitious name.
Photo by Fred Kearney on Unsplash