Volunteer, selfish act 5-8-08

[sgtusmc]

Volunteer, selfish act 5-8-08
Peter Macdonald 465 Packersfalls rd Lee NH 03824 603-659-6217
   I went to Maine yesterday and spent the day with a wonderful woman and her husband.  A friend asked me if I would volunteer some time to help him and a paid employee do some yard clean up.  Married for less that one year she because of a routine physical last month discovered she had lung cancer.  Next week she goes into the hospital to have her lung removed.  Six to eight weeks of recovery then chemo therapy.
   The yard clean up turned out to be cutting down 80'to 100' pine trees and stacking the brush in burn piles.  We had a pretty good size bob cat, but it was hard work, any how.  The morning went great.  I had my back brace on so I could do a little with the chain saw, some bob cat work and stacking brush.  Every once in a while I would look over and see the beautiful young lady sitting on the back deck watching us.  Then about noon she yelled lunch and what a lunch.  Steak tips, cheese burgers and a great salad.  We finished and her husband, my friend and the employee went back to work.  I before lunch started seeing double, was dizzy and my head pain got to the point that I was stumbling over objects on the ground.  I stayed back for a longer break, this is when I learned the story about the newly weds. I eventually went to work but was limited to doing much because of the pain.  At about 4 the employee was getting ready to leave for his night college courses.  As we were saying good by the wife came out of the house with a birthday cake singing happy birthday.  At lunch the employee mentioned the day before was his twenty first birthday.  This woman with all the pressure and turmoil in her life went out of her way to make a life better for someone else. 
   The husband and my friend went back to work but my day was done.  I stayed on the deck with the wife.  The back yard was fully exposed to the sun as the wife expressed her joy.  It was her dream to be able during her recovery period to lay on the back porch in the sun.  She then asked me why I was in so much pain.  I explained that I was a 100% disabled Veteran. She asked why I volunteer when it hurts me.  I explained how nice it was for her to bring the cake out.  She with that act opened a joy in every one's heart which will be remembered.  I volunteer because other Marines died so that the people had the ability to do anything they wished.  I told her how the U.S. exists because over it's history many gave their lives for future generations freedom.  I told the wife that I volunteer because I owe those that gave their lives the respect (no matter how much it hurt) to make the U.S. better so what they gave was not in vain. My volunteering is like the cake, it is my selfish act to make the U.S. a better place for all. 
Peter Macdonald Sgt USMC Semper Fi     

[Kat Kanning]

I've asked you to post your messages only once.  If you don't respect that request, I'll have to ban you.

[StrongArm]

Peter, what's your story?

[margomaps]

I agree with you that volunteering can be indeed looked upon as a selfish act in many cases.

My only question is this: how can a "100% disabled" person wield a chainsaw, operate a bobcat, and stack brush -- all on the same day no less?  If what you say is true, then a 50% disabled person should be able to rip those trees right out of the ground using his bare hands without giving it a second thought.   

By the way, I've driven Packer's Falls Rd all the way from 155 in Lee to Newmarket.  It's a very beautiful area IMO.