A New Damn

Yesterday we were playing around in the meadow after finishing chores and Will and Forrest decided that the damn that was built so many years ago should be moved downstream and so the job began. Forrest did most of the heavy lifting (he is amazingly strong), Will moved smaller rocks, while telling Forrest where to put the rocks, Jimmy crawled around on the rocks, shouting, "Hey what is this everytime he saw a new bug or water creature." I sat on the sidelines laughing when they fell, cheering everytime a big rock was moved, and telling Jimmy over and over that I had no idea, "what that was." But mostly I marveled at these young men who have suffered so much in their lives and can still laugh and build.

At our family meeting with Michelle (the boys case manager), she asked them to brainstorm ways that they could help, while Jerry recuperates. Will's said, "We can't take care of Jerry, but we can take care of Nyla." And both he and Forrest have been doing just that: They have done dishes, cleaned the kitchen, cooked a meal, and mostly just been kind and helpful in a hundred ways.

Again, how do young men who have suffered horrible indignities in their life manage to be so kind to others? We sat on the porch last night watching the sun come down, teaching Shiann new tricks and I couldn't help but wonder, what I would do without them. My life as Jerry heals would probably be easier without having to constantly watch these three--or would it? They are indeed "taking care of me and reminding me that there will be life after brain surgery and in the meantime, we can laugh, and talk, and survive together.