Wink from Heaven: I Have Been Changed for Good

Friday, July 20, 2012

I Have Been Changed for Good

This past Christmas I heard that WICKED was coming to town! The last time it came to Salt Lake I tried for hours to get tickets but was unsuccessful. I crossed my fingers this time and called the ticket office to see if I could surprise Dallan with tickets for Christmas. There were some seats left, but none of them were together, so I decided to send a message to Dallan work.

Me: So... would you want to see WICKED?!!!!

Dallan: Why?

Me: Because I really really really want to see it but just found out there are no seats together.

Would you still consider going?

Dallan: Um...what if hypothetically we already had tickets for July 19th.....?

I had hoped to surprise Dallan with tickets for Christmas, and he had already purchased them for me for a birthday surprise. I was really touched that he knew how delighted I would be.

With a heart full of gratitude and delight, I went on a special date with my sweet heart along with my brother Jacob and his wife Teresa. We ate a wonderful dinner at the Copper Onion then went to see WICKED! Oh I absolutely loved every minute!

I couldn't help but think of Caleb during several parts of my favorite song:

It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart

...But because I knew you,

I have been changed for good.

3 comments:

liseli said...: Love those lyrics...
The way you carry Caleb in your heart wherever you go, whatever you do is really touching.

I'm confused: isn't your birthday in April?; July 21, 2012 at 12:44 AM
Lisa said...: What a good husband!; July 22, 2012 at 10:18 AM
Tara Bennett said...: Hello, beautiful friend. This message has been in my heart since you posted it. I'm trying to get back in the swing over at kidz and planned on sharing it this Saturday. I'm sure you're okay with that, but I wanted to run it past you first. Love you too much! xo; September 16, 2012 at 8:26 PM

Prayer for Caleb

(written by Caleb's Grandma in her weekly column -2008-)

In my family we have a secret code to communicate our love for each other when we are out in public. We wink. When one of us is about to perform or speak, we look for a family member’s face in the crowd. Then we wink at each other. Closing one eye and winking is our secret code for saying, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

About three years ago, my grandson Caleb was born into our family. He must have known before birth that he would never be able to speak to us because he was born with one eyelid permanently closed. So, he is always “winking” at us, always communicating, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

Caleb has one eye lid permanently closed because he is missing one of his eyes . . . and he is also missing his brain. All the doctors said he would die soon after birth. They were wrong. Caleb is three years old. He is a medical miracle. The doctors say he can’t see, hear, speak, think or move. Those who know and love Caleb understand he has his own unique way of experiencing the world and communicating his love to those around him.

After Caleb was born the hospice people told us to buy a burial plot and continually warned us of his imminent death. We soon learned you can not live well in a state of fear and sadness. We decided we could spend Caleb’s entire life anxious and scared he might die at any moment, or we could celebrate each day we were blessed to have him with us. In the beginning, my daughter April celebrated Caleb’s birthday every week instead of every year with balloons and cupcakes because we simply did not know how long we would have him with us. We stopped the cupcakes after we gained ten pounds, but the celebrating goes on.

We all prayed for a miracle when we first learned about Caleb’s condition. We got one. Caleb’s birth, life and mission have had a deep and lasting impact on our lives. His spirit, eternal identity and most of all the loving, individual relationship he has with each of us is truly a miracle. Because of Caleb we know that each of us has a divine purpose and that the physical body is a sacred gift we should never take for granted. We better understand the worth of a soul and the resiliency of the human spirit.

Caleb’s five year old brother Matthew said, “Grandma. The doctors said Caleb was going to die, but he didn’t. That’s the first miracle I ever saw!”

Sometimes Caleb’s baby brother Mitchell pulls out his feeding tube while they hold hands riding together in their double stroller. Sometimes the only intervention that can get Caleb’s heart rate up is when his older brothers Josh and Matty crawl in his crib, hug him and sing, “I am a Child of God.” ...If you have a moment please offer a prayer for the little boy who has never been able to utter a single word and yet has taught everyone who knows and loves him – all the secrets of a rich and meaningful life.