BullDog777

So I was at the airport today waiting for my wife and lemme tell you it was packed. I had an hour and a half to kill so I went over to starbucks and every freakin table was taken.

I'm wearing a boot cast from a fractured bone in my foot. I got my tea and kinda propped myself up in the corner when this young lady flopped down her book, looked at me and asked me if i wanted to sit down and take a load off.

Normally because of social anxiety i would have politely said "no thanks" I'm okay" and just limped away. I was in a lot of pain so I plunked myself down and thanked her.

So I'm not big on conversation, but she apparently was. She was wearing oxygen but couldn't have been more than 19-22.

The next thing that came out of her mouth blew me away. With a half smile on her face she said "So...I'm dying"...How are you"?

For the next hour and some change I got to hear all about this brilliant young lady who was born with cystic fibrosis and she was nearing the end of her life. She was here to meet with some specialists for a possible lung transplant.

I don't really know the right words to describe this...she was articulate and smart and had a really F#$Ked up sense of humor and at the end of the conversation I realized she had done more living in her short 22 years than I had in my 44. She was a motivational speaker.

So I asked her why she wanted to spend the last of her days trying to show people how to live who do nothing but take it for granted?

She told me that she liked to help people. That she had to learn that life was about quality...because she wasn't going to get the quantity.

We had talked for over an hour...there was a lot more to it, but I'm tired and some of this I'm keeping for myself because she helped me through a couple of things.

At this point I had tears in my eyes, I was blown away. I was speechless.
Then I saw that she noticed that her family was here to pick her up...a small convoy. They had a wheelchair with a ton of balloons tied to it, both her parents, siblings and probably 8-10 friends and family members.

She got up from the table and asked me if she had inspired me. I said the only thing I could. It was yes...humbly. She slapped the table and said "good!" That was free." Now go do something about it."

With my mouth still half open, she turned around and wheeled her oxygen behind her and waved goodbye. I think I sat there and just let tears fall out of my eyes for the next few minutes.

I feel like i have an appreciation for my life i have never had before....or had long forgotten. Anyway, she had a profound impact on my day and I wanted to share it. This is one of those things that would have never been possible if i was still out there killing myself. What a blessing sobriety has been for me.

Lpg

Oh wow thanks for sharing this is incredibly moving and beautiful what an amazing young girl. 👏

FBL

Angels are all around us, if we open ourselves up enough to notice.

aasharon90

Now I have tears in my eyes and filled
with inspirational emotions. Thank you
for sharing your experience here with
us and passing on strength and hope.

Much appreciated SR Friend.

Doug39

God sent her to you for a reason.

Now take her advice and "Now go do something about it".

zjw

once in early sobriety the city was on my case about my chickens. I was all upset and went for a walk. I ran into my neighbor (85 years old) i cried my woes to which he replied with a tear in his eye that his wife broke her hip on friday and was in the hospital and he didnt know what to do she normally did the church offering and he wasnt sure how to do it and he had to go to church alone without her. he was all upset.

It put my BS into perspective and I realized my problems with my chickens and the city where pretty small really. I was grateful I ran into him.

I've been told before. Sometimes we are complaining about the color of our shoes to the guy who has no feet.

I also noticed in early sobriety and still do now there are people out there with far worse circumstances then mine who are considerably happier then me. So I think wtf am I doing wrong?

ScottFromWI

Great story Bulldog, thanks for sharing. Seeing others face incredible adversity like that is truly humbling and I think a great reminder of how big of a difference one person can make. It also reminds us how incredibly selfish addiction is and I agree that "doing something about it" is appropriate.

Another way to think about this is that each and every one of us here on SR have the ability to touch other peoples lives in a similar way to what you just experienced. You never know what you might say that will help a newcomer, or even someone who's been coming here for years. It might be a comment in the chat room, a PM or a welcoming post in the newcomers section - every little bit helps.

ForestFrenzy

I have no words at the moment - thank you for sharing. When will we learn?

BullDog777

I'm still at a loss for words. It just made me think of how selfishly I had lived my life pre sobriety and how I need to start living with better purpose and stop taking the time i have for granted like it's always gonna be in such great supply.

zjw said" I also noticed in early sobriety and still do now there are people out there with far worse circumstances then mine who are considerably happier then me. So I think wtf am I doing wrong?"
EXACTLY...and I think that was a lot of her point.

I gave her my Twitter when we were talking because I was hoping to one day find out how this went for her. She hit my page today holding a sign from a hospital bed that said "WTF did u do today that made you better than yesterday? -GOBBLE GOBBLE" that made me smile.

Her and my wife started talking over twitter today because my wife's cousin also has cystic fibrosis. Instant friends.