Wonderful Thoughts for Father's Day 2007
In March 2007 my Father of 64 years, Steven Bartok spent his last few weeks in the Hospital...
We shared these days togther, remebering the wonderful episodes of a
Life Worth Living
A Dynamic Giving person, who came to this Country to realize a Dream...
And he did.
What an inspiration for all who met Him..
Gracious, Giving and Fair.
The Following arrived Today and reminded so vividly of a Man of Conviction and a Man who knew how to GIVE...Steven James Bartok
1918-2007
MY DAD
By Kevin Spalding
My dad was one of the wisest, most compassionate and giving men I've ever known. Although not a man of great means, he endowed many lives with his encouragement, strength and hope. But then, Dad didn't preach, he just did.
One chilly fall evening in the late 1950's, Dad drove my visiting uncle across the Hudson River to the train station in Albany , NY for his return home. I didn't go with them because I was busy getting my diaper changed. As Dad said goodbye to my uncle, a bum approached him (yes, that's what panhandling, homeless men were called back then). The man was disheveled, with stubble beard and an ill fitting, dirty overcoat.
"Can you spare some change, bud?"
Dad didn't need his PhD in organic chemistry to determine from the man's odor what that change would be purchasing.
"No," he responded, "I won't give you any money, but I'll gladly buy you a sandwich and coffee."
As the two men sat in the snack bar nearby and talked, Dad asked, "So, do you have any family?"
"Yea, I got a brother in Boston ."
"Really, tell me about him."
"He's a priest. So what?"
"A priest, what church is he with and what's his name?"
After paying the bill and bidding the man farewell, Dad returned home armed with answers to those and a few more questions.
He then looked up the church in Boston and called long distance.back when "long distance calling" took more than small pocket change.
Dad gave the priest all the information he could about his brother.
A couple weeks later, Dad received a heartfelt, grateful letter from the man's sister thanking him for his saintly intervention. "Because of what you did," the letter said, "we have been reconnected with our brother from whom we had not heard in a long time. Thank you."
I have no idea what happened after that, but because Dad gave without expecting any repayment, one family had a real chance to heal.
My uncle who got the ride to the train station shared this story with me a few years back. But when I asked Dad about it he responded, "Kevin, I don't recall it."
Dad just gave expecting nothing in return. Because that's just who he was. He taught me again; in hindsight, that true giving is not a transaction. But, if given freely, one receives in return riches that money cannot buy.
Dad is no longer here in body. But in spirit, yes. When I reflect on this lesson occasionally, I look up and whisper, "Dad, I hope I can remember now."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kevin F. Spalding is a dynamic, personable and thought provoking speaker who challenges his audiences to rethink the way they have always done things to improve their productivity and the quality of their lives.
Kevin's broad, eclectic background has given him the opportunity to learn from the rigors of the military, the discipline of program management, the depth of spirituality and the challenges of parenthood. He brings lessons and principles from these and other domains in to "make sense," everyday tools and techniques that listeners can use to improve their perspectives and thus the quality of their lives.
Kevin can be reached at kevin@kevinspalding.com
Sent to you as a courtesy of...
Your friends at AsAManThinketh.net
For a free eBook of James Allens classic:
mydailyinsights.com/a.asp?af=360894
We shared these days togther, remebering the wonderful episodes of a
Life Worth Living
A Dynamic Giving person, who came to this Country to realize a Dream...
And he did.
What an inspiration for all who met Him..
Gracious, Giving and Fair.
The Following arrived Today and reminded so vividly of a Man of Conviction and a Man who knew how to GIVE...Steven James Bartok
1918-2007
MY DAD
By Kevin Spalding
My dad was one of the wisest, most compassionate and giving men I've ever known. Although not a man of great means, he endowed many lives with his encouragement, strength and hope. But then, Dad didn't preach, he just did.
One chilly fall evening in the late 1950's, Dad drove my visiting uncle across the Hudson River to the train station in Albany , NY for his return home. I didn't go with them because I was busy getting my diaper changed. As Dad said goodbye to my uncle, a bum approached him (yes, that's what panhandling, homeless men were called back then). The man was disheveled, with stubble beard and an ill fitting, dirty overcoat.
"Can you spare some change, bud?"
Dad didn't need his PhD in organic chemistry to determine from the man's odor what that change would be purchasing.
"No," he responded, "I won't give you any money, but I'll gladly buy you a sandwich and coffee."
As the two men sat in the snack bar nearby and talked, Dad asked, "So, do you have any family?"
"Yea, I got a brother in Boston ."
"Really, tell me about him."
"He's a priest. So what?"
"A priest, what church is he with and what's his name?"
After paying the bill and bidding the man farewell, Dad returned home armed with answers to those and a few more questions.
He then looked up the church in Boston and called long distance.back when "long distance calling" took more than small pocket change.
Dad gave the priest all the information he could about his brother.
A couple weeks later, Dad received a heartfelt, grateful letter from the man's sister thanking him for his saintly intervention. "Because of what you did," the letter said, "we have been reconnected with our brother from whom we had not heard in a long time. Thank you."
I have no idea what happened after that, but because Dad gave without expecting any repayment, one family had a real chance to heal.
My uncle who got the ride to the train station shared this story with me a few years back. But when I asked Dad about it he responded, "Kevin, I don't recall it."
Dad just gave expecting nothing in return. Because that's just who he was. He taught me again; in hindsight, that true giving is not a transaction. But, if given freely, one receives in return riches that money cannot buy.
Dad is no longer here in body. But in spirit, yes. When I reflect on this lesson occasionally, I look up and whisper, "Dad, I hope I can remember now."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kevin F. Spalding is a dynamic, personable and thought provoking speaker who challenges his audiences to rethink the way they have always done things to improve their productivity and the quality of their lives.
Kevin's broad, eclectic background has given him the opportunity to learn from the rigors of the military, the discipline of program management, the depth of spirituality and the challenges of parenthood. He brings lessons and principles from these and other domains in to "make sense," everyday tools and techniques that listeners can use to improve their perspectives and thus the quality of their lives.
Kevin can be reached at kevin@kevinspalding.com
Sent to you as a courtesy of...
Your friends at AsAManThinketh.net
For a free eBook of James Allens classic:
mydailyinsights.com/a.asp?af=360894
Comments (1)
Pat Ritrosky
1
CeeBee,
Thanks for sharing this WONDERFUL story with us...
I think you have become your farther in so many ways and I'm so thankful you became my FRIEND!
The true story is...
Building a GOOD friendship really pays off!
I've sent Chuck 100s of dollars for things he has found to improve my life,
and NEVER regretted it!
I have went from going in the hole, to a weekly check because of CHUCK BARTOK!
When someone calls you on the phone and offers you there FRIENDSHIP...
NEVER