Bald is Beautiful

We all have those days or moments that transcend time. You know what I am talking about, those instances where you look around and just feel a higher presence in charge. I would like to share a story about such a time in my life. It was Oct 2007 and I had been at The Cancer Treatment Center for 6 days. There was no procedures scheduled for the afternoon so we decided to get away for lunch. When we arrived at the restaurant we were greeted and escorted to our booth. Within seconds a young scraggly looking fellow approached and I quickly discerned that this was going to be our server. Without much thought I blared out "how's it going friend", with a smile on his face as wide as Lake Michigan, this young man named Chad said "I am Livin A Dream man".

For those of you that know me you also know about our foundation called Livin A Dream, well now you know how we arrived at the name. But what you don't know, is the rest of the story. 

Three months later my Aunt and I went back for a follow up visit. We decided to go back to the restaurant and see our wonderful charming server named Chad. When we arrived we asked to be seated in his section. The hostess with a confused yet friendly look said "I am sorry we do not have a Chad working here". I ask her if the young man had quit, which people in that industry frequently do. She said that she had personally worked there for a couple of years and did not recall a Chad being on the team. Thinking we had his name wrong I tried to describe him as best I could. She was very gracious in assuring us the person we were describing was not a recent employee of the store. 

You can think what you will, and many have told me that it was an Angel from heaven. We both recall Chad's warm demeanor and how you could tell he loved life.  We spoke about my cancer treatment as well as his dreams for college. Chad wanted to own his on restaurant someday. That was why he was Livin A Dream because he was doing what he loved and it showed. Was it real? Did we get the name wrong? Were we at the wrong restaurant? These thoughts have gone through my head many times over the years as I have recalled that story.  Chad was a symbol of hope then as he is now, but they way this story ends is the true miracle in my eyes. 

The server asked if she could go ahead and seat us. Naturally we accepted. Once seated she placed our menu's on the table and reviewed the specials of the day she said HOPE your server will be with you shortly. This may seem insignificant to you but it was a living miracle to me. Of all the names for a server to replace Chad whom they said didn't exist anyway. 

My first trip to CTCA was almost in desperation to find hope for living. Yes I had cancer but there are so many people that search for that hope each and every day. I have learned that behind many smiling faces are deeply wounded souls begging in silence for a reason to keep going. For me, I found hope in the people I met that were fighting for their lives that I encountered all day every day at the hospital. They were warm loving friendly people searching for any sign of HOPE. You know as well as I do though that we all at one time another battle emotional cancer that drains us of every ounce of energy we had stored up. For me it was physical cancer but for you it could be something else.  It is the little glimmers of humanity however that turn the ember to a flame. It is through the touch of kindness and the grace of God that our once blind eyes are opened to see the life that truly exist before us. I have no idea what battles you are fighting but I do know that there is a Chad that is paving the way for HOPE to come into your life. All I ask of you today is start looking around and recalling the little God wink's that truly do exist. Before you know it you will be saying WOW, how did I miss that. What once seemed like a deep dark hole will slowly begin to fill with light. You will discover a meaning in your life that may have been missing for  years. Yes Chad was real in my eyes and there is someone like him that is real in yours. 

As you well know, a cancer hospital is filled with beautiful bald people. Matter of fact the old saying that bald is beautiful is so true, especially to people like me. Young, old, man, or woman every where you turned there were gorgeous shiny skin heads. Yes we had cancer and that was our defining mark that we learned to wear with honor.  I do not know what your badge is but I hope as you read this you will learn to wear it well. It is when we learn to grow into the skin we have been given that we emerge the awesome amazing creation we were born to be. 

I didn't see her at first but I could tell by the voice that we were in the presence of someone special. She welcomed us in a melodious voice that sounded like an angel from heaven. She said "hello my name is HOPE and I will be serving you today". I looked up to the most beautiful smile you have ever seen, and yes HOPE was a lovely young lady trying to keep her own hopes and dreams alive as well as her life. You see HOPE was serving us and she too was bald. 

God bless

Dale