The Golden Voice

On Friday, a co-worker of mine mentioned the story of the homeless man with a golden voice.  His name is Ted Williams and he's gone from homeless one day to not so homeless the next.  Literally, in the blink of an eye.  Or, rather, in the blink of 48 hours.  I did not look the story up immediately.  But - when I did, I saw something amazing.  Something promising.  Not just for him but for all of us who've been feeling the wringer of life for just a little too long.

I've been having a tough time as of late.  This winter is taking a toll on me.  Right about now I feel trapped by it.  I don't look good, I don't feel good and I am definitely not doing all that good overall.  I manage to pull it together for a day here or there but I am simply not functioning at my optimum level - I'm not even ten levels down from my own personal optimum.  Just going to the grocery store - and completing the task of buying food feels like an accomplishment to me right now.  I am not happy about this but what can I do?  Winter is unavoidable in New Jersey.  Just as spiritual winter is often unavoidable in life.

I did get some really great news in the past week.  A small windfall of money.  Enough to give me a little security where there wasn't any before.  It's not a million dollars but it's enough - enough to help me feel a little better about me and where I am at 31 years old.  It was a relief.  For a day or so, I felt I had won the lottery emotionally.  Even if my brain did not take notice.  I still could not physically function any better than I had the day before.

Then someone mentions a story to me.  Something from the news - and eventually I take a look.  It's incredible.  Imagine spending a decade on the streets - only to have your God-given talents noticed by just the right person at just the right time.  Every once in a while the news has something great to mention, even if the positive story disappears almost faster than it appeared.

It's the story of the underdog in many of us.  The mistakes we make that leave us stranded by the side of the road.  The mistakes we make that screw it all up - that make our lives almost irredeemable to at least ourselves.  The mistakes we make that leave us feeling less than worthy, less than others.  The bad things that happen to us by no fault of our own.  Life just takes a sidestep and plans go out the window.  For some it's an injury or an illness.  For others, it's a raw deal when someone runs out on you or dies suddenly, violently or otherwise.  And still for others, it's chemical dependency of some sort - which is a mix of bad choices, bad influence and, of course, genes.  Yet, I believe all of these things happen for a reason.  Many times the reason is hidden from us.  Sometimes forever - sometimes only for a while - and sometimes the reason is obvious and in front of us - just as plain as can be.

Then the second chance comes.  A chance to redeem, a chance to step up to the plate again - a chance to maybe make it right.  To use the gifts of a second chance in order to maybe give other people a second chance (or a third, fourth or even fifth chance)  as well.

My heart is asking for the second chance.  God knows what that second chance is that I am hoping for and knows better than I do what I really need so I will just have to trust.  There's something about the story of Ted Williams that struck me so deeply.  (Follow the hyperlink earlier in the blog to see it.)  His sense of gratitude bursts out of him and into your heart.  It's the kind of gratitude that can really only come after a lost period when you see that maybe there are still some blessings in the bag for you too.  That maybe your mistakes do not have to make up the totality of your life.  Maybe that second chance is just waiting around the corner or on the street.  Maybe it's there for all of us who've been given a raw deal more often than not.  Don't get me wrong - I have plenty to be thankful for and I do say my thanks.  But - what I am hoping for is a chance to not only make it through another day but to make it to the end of this journey with a sense that I did get to where I was meant to be.

That's not my second chance though - not exactly.  My second chance remains between God and me.