A moment from my day....

There is a sweet old man who works at the library. He has been the head of the janitorial staff for as long as I can remember. Years of hard work show themselves in the lines on his face and slightly hunched way that he walks. Looking into his face, images of his past (similar to the clip that always makes me cry from "Up.") flood my mind. I don't know the details, of course, but I know he has a wife. I picture the first time they met, the excitement of their first child, etc, the joys and the sorrows that have caused those lines in his face to form.

(This is not him, I got this image from http://www.graphix1.co.uk/2011/04/07/20-heart-warming-photographs-of-old-people/)

This man, also has an illness or two. I'm not sure what they are, all I know is that there are moments when he can become really shakey and unstable and needs to take some medicine or he may pass out (or worse). There are days that he cannot come into work and there are days that he really should have stayed home. But, despite all of that, he is cheerful and loves his job. He is probably here at the library more than I am (and that's saying something). 

Most days, I look at him and I see determination, strength, and happiness. Some days, like today, I get a glimpse of his face for just a moment, and I can see the struggle, the pain, the frustration, and the internal fight against giving up. It is at these times that I want nothing more than to give him a great big hug and give him his younger, healthy self back. I want to give him early retirement so he can rest, and yet I want to help him continue working so he can still feel useful and able. Obviously I can't give him any of those things. I can't give him his strength/youth back (or I would be really rich and famous) and I don't know him well enough to give him a hug.

He is invisible to most people. I bet most of the students who use the library have never seen him, those who do probably see him as just a janitor that didn't do anything better with his life. Yet, he serves them daily through cleaning up after them and making sure they have a clean and safe place to study. 

I'm not really sure why I felt compelled to write about him today. Perhaps it is because it made me appreciate the goodness in my life a little more today. Maybe it's because I want to be more like him, and continue pushing onward with all that I have. Maybe I feel that he needs recognition after years of silent service. Whatever the reason, I was deeply touched by seeing him at work today and wanted to give you a glimpse into my world.