In my life, which has gone on much longer than I ever expected it to, I thought that I had experienced the full range of emotions that occur to human beings. There have been moments of happiness and moments of sorrow. There have been moments that are neither happy nor sorrowful. But it took a six-year-old boy to stop me in my tracks. That young fellow’s name is Fabian, whose parents originally came from Costa Rica.
You may recall a recent essay from this desk entitled “Thanksgiving 2006”. In that essay, I recounted the joy that granting a loan to Fabian’s parents had given me. Granting that loan from Judy and me had provided me with perhaps the happiest Thanksgiving within my memory. It was simply an effort on our part to help these hard working Costa Ricans over a period of hard times. And it is already paying dividends.
Here is how it has worked out. Fabian’s grandfather is 96 years old and resides in Costa Rica. This fall arrangements were made to bring Fabian’s grandfather to New Jersey so that he could see his grandchildren, possibly for the last time. Fabian and his siblings, Esteban and Melissa, seem to enjoy having their grandfather around.
Today, Tuesday January 2, 2007, Jenny, the mother of the boys, made her regular appearance to clean our house. Before she was finished, Jenny related an story involving her son Fabian that has me stopped in my tracks. Fabian, the six-year-old, is faithful about saying his evening prayers. In those prayers, Fabian remembers his grandfather in Costa Rica. He refers to him as his “Grandpa”. But that is not the end of it. Old Fabian goes on to pray not only for his grandpa in Costa Rica but for his, “Grandpa in America so that he can see again”.
Fabian and his brother, Esteban, have visited this house on three occasions and are aware of my blindness. When they arrive and when they leave, both boys come around to shake hands with me. I think they are gentlemen in the making.
When Fabian prays for his “Grandpa in America so that he can see again”, this ancient geezer has trouble holding back the tears. Nobody told Fabian to pray for me and my eyesight; Fabian did that voluntarily.
And so you see the loan that we made to Fabian’s parents is paying dividends already. I had not planned on being stumped by a six-year-old, but stumped I am. Whatever you think about the power of prayer, Fabian got to me. There is no way that I can recall Fabian’s prayers without choking up. And so after 84 years, when I thought I had experienced every emotion that applies to human beings, old Fabian brought me a new one. When a little six-year-old voluntarily prays for me to regain my eyesight, it gives me a reason to stick around for a while longer. I am more than proud to be Fabian’s “Grandpa in America”. How can anybody top that?
E. E. Carr
January 2, 2007
Essay 226?
Author’s note: Learned medical authorities have long since concluded that blindness will be my constant companion. My surrogate grandson Fabian is working to reverse that prognosis. I suggest that L. Jay Katz, M.D., Chief of Glaucoma Services at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia and Eric Gurwin, M.D., who holds a lofty title at Summit Medical Group, should keep a close eye on Fabian’s work.
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Kevin’s commentary: I met Fabian’s mother the last time I was visiting Pop. She was a kind woman who was very good at making sure Pop kept himself cleanshaven. It was of course very important for him to maintain these experiences.