Heaviest Burden | Teen Ink

Heaviest Burden

July 7, 2008
By Anonymous

The cars fly by on I-27. A man walks past the construction site supervising. He limps but he walks on. Raymond works throughout the day trying to fix what is broken.

Soon it will be time to wrap up the day and drive back to his home. His home, which has held six children and over twelve grandchildren. A house in which he comes home, grabs a plate of dinner and sets down to do the daily cross word puzzle.

Not once does he complain. Not once does he show his burden.

Oldest in a family of ten, Raymond learned at a very early age life is not always kind. At the age of 4 the doctors diagnosed him with polio. A year later a cure was developed, but it was too late.

In and out of surgery for five years, the doctors were not able to fully reconstruct the leg which the polio spread to.

High school started, Raymond joined gymnastics. The rings and horse were his events; this is where he had power.

Two years later a marriage took place and a year later his first child came into his life.

Thirty- five years of coaching basketball, coaching soccer, leading boy scouts, white water rafting, work and challenges passed him. But now he sits in his quiet living room with his wife by his side.

Raymond still cracks a joke and most of the time you can even believe he does not notice he has a disability. Never would he admit it.

On Sundays his grandchildren tumble into the house waiting for Grandpa the alligator to play outside and put them up in trees. He can and will hold their weight.

God places the heaviest burden on those who can carry its weight.


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