A year ago I set out from West Memphis, Arkansas headed for the crystal rich hills of Arkansas in the Hot Springs area. My brother-in-law had just passed away from diabetes. I had known the man since I was seven years old. He had seemed to give up and (to put it mildly) didn't help his condition in the end. To clear my mind of my frustration and heartache from his negative choices I walked across Arkansas until I came to a realization...he made the choice.
The day I had this epiphany I also decided I would stop walking, at the end of the day, after getting into Hot Springs, because of a lingering injury.
The first person I met that morning, before I had begun the trek from my support van, was a woman who later brought me some crystals. ( I was joking with people I met about heading for the crystal vortex) We have kept in communication through the year. After meeting me she began to eat healthy food and walk. She has lost over fifty pounds and is keeping it off.
The man who gave me the last ride of the trip at the end of that day, after I had rolled the world thru downtown Hot Springs, was so heavy he had trouble getting into his truck. He contacted me months later to tell me that he had begun dieting after we met and had lost much weight.
From the first person I met that day to the last (even a newspaper reporter), I had told them all that my stubborn brother-in-law had made the choice to not control his condition. That as much as it hurt, he made the choice. I channelled my brother-in-law's caustic, unapologetic attitude to all I met that day concluding with, "...some people you just can't reach."
Today I passed thru Hot Springs and was able to see both of them. Coincidentally. I reunited with them at the same time.
The following picture is of the woman who has lost fifty pounds in weight and the man who has lost the woman, he is standing next to, in weight.
I believe I should count that as a positive outcome born from my brother-in-law's death.
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1 comment:
This a beautiful inspiring post. I'm sorry about his passing but grateful you could pass along his story to make a difference. Keep doing what you do. You may not get as much attention about it as you'd like, but people are noticing and you ARE making a difference.
Cheers, from Fort Worth TX
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