One Cup of Rice Water Does Matter

Thursday night on the way home from work I got hit with a sickness. It hit me like a ton of bricks. As soon as I arrived home and turned the car off it began. My teeth started to chatter. I thought maybe I had gotten use to the heat in the car after traveling an hour from work. I opened the car door and walked to the house. I became so cold I could barely stand it. I shook uncontrollably. My teeth chattered even harder. I felt like I just fell through ice into a freezing lake. My chest tightened up and I could barely breath. I grabbed my heaviest winter coat (and believe me it is about the heaviest you can find...I am originally from Michigan you know). I had a hard time just putting it on, I was shaking so badly. My breathing became more pronounced like I had been running a marathon. Thank God my winter hat was in my coat pocket. I put that on and the thick hood from my coat over that. This seemed to do nothing. I grabbed two heavy comforter blankets and laid on the couch. My wife got another pair of socks and put them over the pair I already had on. It seemed like eternity, (but must have been 2 hours I laid there) teeth chattering...cherishing each breath of air. My teeth finally stopped chattering and my body was exhausted. After making all the necessary preparations for missing work the next day, I immediately fell asleep. I basically only awoke to go the bathroom or try to drink chicken broth for the next 24 hours. My wife diligently looked for ways to help. She found some kind of concoction out of her trusty health remedy book and asked me if I wanted to try it. It took a lot of strength just to say "yes" in agreement (this is no exaggeration). I won't go into details, but I visited the bathroom frequently in that 24hrs and had probably lost all nutrients that would give me any kind of strength. (OK Don't lose me now, this story does have a very good point). My wife put together her rice water concoction and I mustered the strength to take a few sips. This was the turning point. I've never felt anything like it. I literally could feel my body absorb the nutrients from this "magic" potion.

I thought about that first day I noticed my wife at college. I would go to breakfast most mornings as soon as the doors would open for the campus meals. There would usually be maybe 5 to 10 other people throughout all the campus that would be willing to go that early to eat a campus breakfast. One of those people was my future wife sitting there several tables away, with a guy friend of hers. She had the best posture I had ever seen and I think I even remember pointing that out to a friend of mine one morning at breakfast. There was something very intriguing about her and I could not deny her long red/brown/blond hair was about the most beautiful I had ever seen. Little did I know that years later I would be laying on a couch and she would be giving me a drink to save my life. (OK that one might be a little exaggerated) So maybe my wife put something else in this concoction of hers? : )

This was the beginning to my recovery, although it took another 24 hrs just to have enough strength to actually get up without it being a huge task. I really appreciated my wife helping me in any way she could to make me comfortable. I was so dependent and desperate for help that even one glass of her rice water concoction made a difference. This got me thinking about those in Haiti. They got hit suddenly with a disaster that caused them to be dependent and desperate like never before. I couldn't shake this thought of how desperate they must have become. Do you remember being this sick or desperate? Remember how much just a small glass of apple juice or soup was so important and appreciative? That one cup of rice water did matter to me! I will never forget it. So to, others who are in desperate need will not forget. One act of kindness will not go unappreciated! Better yet, the God of Heaven says, "Verily I say unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me".

We are so blessed here in America that I think it is hard for us to contemplate the importance of one glass of water. Remember the next time you are sick and think about how important that help is. Additionally, when you drink your next glass of water or eat your next meal think about how precious that would be to someone else. I am still recovering from my sickness and am thinking about how nice it would be to eat a meal. Don't wait until you're sick to contemplate the same thing. Think of the most desperate times in your life. Maybe it is was a sickness, a death, a disease, or some other tragedy. One cup of rice water does make a difference. One cup of rice water does matter.

It happens to be my mother's birthday today. I must say that she has given me that "one cup of rice water" many times and I have never forgotten. I have seen my Mom do this for many other people too, without ever getting much in return. Thank you Mom. I love you and have a Happy Birthday!