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Friday I was driving to Bowling Green and listening to the radio.  There is kind of a drought of radio stations on the drive from Murray to Bowling Green  so I was excited when I turned to NPR and they were doing StoryCorps.   I love StoryCorps, it is a great little publication that lets people tell their story in their own words.  Sometimes they are famous people and other times they are just ordinary people but either way the stories are usually fantastic.  Friday they were doing a story about 9/11.  They told the story of Father Mychal Judge the NYFD chaplain.   Father Mike was the first person issued a death certificate from that horrific day.   The day after 9/11 Father Michael Duffy (a dear friend) had a call asking him speak at Father Mike's funeral.   Father Michael recalled Father Mike's life. 

 “He would say to me once and a while, ‘Michael Duffy’ — he always called me by my full name — ‘Michael Duffy, you know what I need?’ And I would get excited because it was hard to buy him a present or anything.   I said, ‘No, what?’ ‘You know what I really need?’ ‘No, what Mike?’ ‘Absolutely nothing. I don’t need a thing in the world. I am the happiest man on the face of the earth.   Why am I so blessed? I don’t deserve it.’ 


These words from Father Mike really struck me.   “Absolutely Nothing!”  It helped me reflect on my own life.  What do I need?  Nothing!  I don't need anything.  I have Spicer, I have Tommy, I have my family and friends, I have my job, I have a roof over my head, I have a car that runs, I have enough to eat, I have enough money in my bank account to pay my bills.  I don't need anything.   I think it is fitting on 9/11 to reflect on that.  We need to strive to be like Father Mike.  We need to realize that if we have the things I just listed we CAN be content.  We should strive to feel that way and to reach that point in our own lives and most importantly to identify the people who don't have these things and for goodness sakes to help them.   It can be just the smallest things. 

Almost every Saturday there is a little church who bakes goodies to sell for the Farmers Market in Murray.   Every Saturday for a few hours these people take a little fraction of time to make a difference.   I often give them a few dollars and one of the ladies is always moved by my gift because I never buy any of their food since I am watching my calories but I want to still help them.   I always try to dismiss her thank yous and let her know there are no thanks necessary.  Tommy said next time she says that we should tell her, “No you need the thanks, you are the one here giving up your Saturdays to help others.  You are the one who spent all the time baking the day before.  You are the one helping others with the money you get from the bake sale.  You deserve the thanks and the credit. “ 

 What are you doing to help you reach that feeling, the feeling of being content?  What are you doing to help others reach that goal? 

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Father Mike



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