Tooth-less. He was missing teeth, but not all of them. It didn’t stop him from smiling widely as he held is daughter in his arms and kissed her matted hair. She wore a pink zip-up sleeper with footsies and hid in the nape of her father’s neck as we spoke.
She’s beautiful just like her momma. But she’s a daddy’s girl, his gaped tooth smile slowly left his face as he painfully added, and she’s HIV positive. His voice trailed off in the conversation of medicare, prescriptions, and weekly injections. He arrived at the medical clinic around 7:30am with his two children. He was in desperate need of dental care, but since he lost his job three months ago he’s been unable to see a dentist. Or see a doctor. Or provide enough food.
Photo by D. Park Photography
We spoke about life. His life. And what that looked like with an HIV positive wife checked into a local hospital for clinical depression. I wasn’t a doctor or even a therapist. But I was a face who cared and wanted to know about his life, his story, his sorrow.
So I listened. And listened. And listened.
More than anything he wanted to be known. He wanted to be heard. He wanted to share his story so he told me his name, his daughter’s name, and his son’s name several times. I’m not embarrassed to talk about it. I want everyone to know our story. Everyone needs to know it can happen to anyone… anyone. He turned his mouth and kissed Linda Pearl’s matted head with his tooth-less mouth and cried in the nape of her neck.
Dan Allender said our name is our identity and most likely the only syllables and sound that will mean the most to us in our entire life. Dale Carnegie developed a multimillion-dollar business based on teaching people to win friends and influenced people by saying someone’s name a minimum of three times during a conversation. A famous television sitcom sold the setting and premise from the show with the tagline, “You want to go where everybody knows your name.”
And just like you, and me, and Rusty, we want to be known.
I walked Rusty over to the STD and HIV testing center when his number was called. I told him I will be praying for his family, but most importantly I’d keep telling his story. Rusty’s words spoke depths of truth, It can happen to anyone.
Photo by D. Park Photography
Black, Latino, Muslim, Filipino, White, and Asian men and women lined up as early as 1:00am on Saturday morning to wait for free medical, dental, and vision care. And each one of them had a story as to why they were there. I wasn’t extracted teeth or drawing blood, but I was listening—and listening matters.
Today life will go on. I will work, eat heartily, brush my teeth and live prescription-free. But life will not be the same because I met Rusty who was hoping he wasn’t HIV positive, Linda Joy who laughed carelessly unaware she was battling a disease, and countless others who simply wanted to be known. Their life will go on and so will their story.
I just wish to emphasize the great function on this blog”
Thanks, My partner and i’ve been looking for details about this particular topic for a long time and also your own is the foremost There are to date.
It could harden far better to ro together with your managing postpartum despression symptoms without the need for paxil if you are secured regarding it.
It is suitable time to make some plans for future years and it’s also time and energy to be happy. We have understand this particular publish and if I could My partner and i desire to counsel you handful of attention-grabbing things or perhaps recommendations. You could possibly might write subsequent posts talking about this short article. My partner and i want to understand even more things about this!
Hello! I understand this is relatively away from matter however i wondered in the event you realized exactly where I really could locate a captcha plugin for my personal opinion type? I’m utilizing the same blog program as your own and i am having trouble finding 1? Thanks!
If you are looking for a hostel in Los Angeles, visit Los Angeles Hostels
Excellent submit. I had been looking at continually this blog site and i’m inspired! Very beneficial data especially the residual period We sustain such information a whole lot. I used to be searching for this kind of info to get a prolonged period. Thanks and best associated with luck.
Good site! I truly adore what it is effortless on my small eye and also the information are very composed. Now i’m asking yourself how I could be advised every time a brand new publish has been made. We have enrolled in your own RSS feed that need to do the key! Possess a good day time!
Hi! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new apple iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the outstanding work!