Ready and willing

It is not the actual physical exertion that counts towards a man's progress, nor the nature of the task, but by the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken.
– St. Francis Xavier

Today both of my nephews came over. My older nephew came to rake leaves up outside and my younger nephew came to visit. However, upon seeing that his older brother was becoming tired, my younger nephew, who has CP, decided that he should help. He wouldn't be talked out of it, so he held a rake as a "wall" to make it easier for my older nephew to scoop up leaves. Then he offered to rake from a chair because, he said, "I don't think I can do it standing."

I politely declined, saying I appreciated his offer, and his older brother said "It's my job. I'll do it." For a moment, the three of us were very quiet. All I could hear was the scraping of the rake my older nephew was using as evening descended upon us.

My younger nephew and I were on the ramp together outside. He piped up "I tried to help but I didn't do much." And I said "You stepped in when your brother was tired and cold and gave him a hand as best you could. That's showing a great spirit."

It is a hard lesson sometimes, when you have a disability, to learn that you cannot always keep up with others or do what they do. But I believe that we can help the child develop a spirit of willingness to help in ways he can and learn to value that effort and attitude.

It is through our spirit of faith that much is accomplished in the realm of what really matters anyway.