I want to share a positive phone call I just got.
..I am so happy that this friend called me. He is someone I met at the local park district center The center is run by the suburb I live in and to walk around the track is free. If you want to be a member of the fitness center in the building there is a reasonable fee. Eleven times around the track equals one mile.
..I met this man Mel, (not real name), when I was walking round a few years ago. . Mel fought in WWII with the U.S. Army, and was part of group that freed the concentration camps. He showed us pictures of the event. Further, after the war, Mel started teaching in the public schools, and he rose to a prominent position. But this is one nice person. He has been through a lot, and is now home from the hospital, and is on dialysis. He is doing very well, and he sounds OK. His daughter is helping to take care of him, and he is still living in his own house. His wife passed away a many years ago.
..I had heard he was sick, and I have not been to the center lately. Another walker told me that Mel was quite ill, and he was in the hospital. Then someone else said that he had come home and doing ok. My friend, Sue, told me it would be OK to call Mel and leave a message. So yesterday I did. And today, at about 4pm ET, Mel called me. I didn't expect him to call because of his illness, but he sounded OK, and told me about some of the stuff he has recently been through. He also read me a comic poem that he wrote. Mel has written hundreds of these comic poems, and has read many of these poems to a group of us after we finished walking around the track. We would sit and have "talks" after we exercised. These talks among friends were far better than the exercise.
..Mel lost his son about a year ago, and it was very sad. Mel is 97 years old, and as I said, has been through a whole lot. I was so glad that he called and said he is doing well. I told him I would call again in a day or two. Mel's call made my day. He is such a nice person, and I am glad he is home and recovering.
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Your friendships at the track helps maintain healthy community which is something that's being ripped apart slowly in our nation by division.
Hope your friend is able to get out so you can see him again......
They all have much to teach us.
Sometimes I'll be in line at the store and see a really old woman who's totally kicking ass. I ask her age and she'll immediately reply. Super cool. I don't try to drag them into something long>>>I just want them to know I noticed and value their vitality and attitude. 
