THE WORDS I COULDN'T SAY

This posting is about the most precious Christmas gift which I received yesterday. It was in the form a poem written for me and given to me by a most wonderful young man, now 19 years old, whom I met when he was eight years old.

First, I would like to give you a bit of background as to how I met this young man and five others.

In 1997, after my youngest son had left home for college, I decided to move from the large house in which I had been living and take up residence in a smaller apartment at an apartment complex, where I am living now.

At the time I moved here, my little mini Rat Terrier, "Baby",
was still alive. One Saturday morning, when I was out walking "Baby" I was stopped by three young boys between the ages of 8 and 10 years old. They asked if they could pet "Baby". Naturally I said yes, because 'Baby' was a very friendly, people oriented dog who absolutely enjoyed the attention.

As they took turns petting 'Baby', they talked with each other in Ukrainian. I came to discover that they had only been in this country less than a year. They were among some 15 Ukrainian immigrant families living at the complex.

To try and make a long story shorter, these boys decided to take it upon themselves to come to my apartment and help me with my garden and other tasks around the apartment. When school was in session, they would come over every day after school and sit around my dinning table and do their home homework, often asking for my help. It turned out that they continued this all through elementary and high school right up to their graduation. I would help them learn English and help them with various school projects and in return they would take care of my garden and clean the apartment for me, and then they would gather around in front of my TV and watch Kung-fu movies and other action flicks. In all, there was a total of six of these boys that would come over every single day. Since they were extremely polite and well mannered, I didn't mind their visits at all, on the contrary, I kind of looked forward to them.

They began discussing with me, various concerns and worries they had and asking me my advice, and I would answer them as best I could. I also told them that if they were ever in trouble or needed my help for anything, they could always count on me and I would always be there for them.

Now for the Christmas gift I received yesterday from one of those boys. I attempted to scan it and post it here, but it becomes unreadable, so I have had to retype it word for word as he had written it:

THE WORDS I COULDN'T SAY:

by: Andrey K.

You gave us a new way of looking at life, and you made our mind's eye wonder.
You showed us a world and a life through a looking glass that our culture did not accept, and you challenged our perspective.
You humored our innocence and fed our big imaginations with Kung-fu and action movies. Once you even gave me three dollars so that I could go with the older boys to Burger King to buy a burger.
You always welcomed our daily visits and you always left us with a question because you knew that we would return for the answer, and you always went the extra mile for those around you.

Every Christmas, you would buy and wrap Christmas gifts for us and place them under your tree next to the gifts you bought for your sons and grandchildren, and then you would have us find them.
About two months ago you asked me why I still come to visit an old man. My answer is simple, it is our relationship that matters and our friendship which I value, but there were other words that I found hard to say and so I carried them in my heart.

Then, today I began to think about the time when you will nolonger be with us, and the words I could not say. I realized that when that day comes I will lose.

I will lose those moments when you taught me about justice and always trying to be fair.
I will lose those times when you lectured me about life and relying on the Lord.
I will lose....
No, not only me, but all of us boys from the Ukraine, whom you treated like your own.
We are going to miss your words and how you reassured us each time that you cared for us and that you loved each of us, and always will, no matter what. You proved to us that you meant it, when you were there for my brother when he got into some trouble last year. You stuck by him and you still do.

What you saw in each of us, I do not know, but what you taught us and gave to us, we kept close. You made thinkers out of us and pushed our minds to reach new heights. you showed us how to care for those near and far. And now, as I sit here and think of all these things, I realize that I want people to know how you inspired a thought in me, one I will never let go:

"It was HOPE that I was born of, and it is GRACE that I am loved by." It was your open heart that you gave, loving each of us unconditionally, placing your trust in us and feeling pride at our accomplisments.

Now is the time for those words that I couldn't say:

YOU HAVE BEEN LIKE A FATHER TO ME, AND I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR CARING AND FOR LOVING ME.

To Ron - "Abouna Gregori"
A Friend, A Father, A Teacher and A Mentor.
Thinking of you always


The young man who wrote this, framed it and wrapped in Christmas paper and came by yesterday afternoon to give it to me. He told me that he had written it two weeks ago in his college writing class and when he read it aloud to the class, several of his classmates were in tears.

I will cherish this for many years to come.

All six of these boys still come to visit me at least twice a month, even though one of them attends college in North Carolina, he still makes it a point to visit twice a month.