To understand him...

HEART AND SOUL

I have a body, a mind, a heart, and a soul.

My body has changed, my mind is rearranged,

the essence of me, is still intact.

My heart is bigger, my soul is everlasting.

All bodies wear out, all minds get slower.

My heart has grown fuller, my soul is forever.

The essence of me, is still intact.

My body feels pain, my mind can’t remember,

but my heart keeps expanding, my soul is at peace.

Love comes from the heart, love radiates from the soul.

The essence of me, is still intact..

I can still give love, I can still receive love.

Try to overlook my bursts of anger,

don’t dwell on what I can no longer do.

The essence of me, is still intact.

If I ramble occasionally, or act totally confused,

if I have already told you this story please overlook it,

sometimes I just really can not recall.

The essence of me, is still intact.

If I lose my temper for no reason at all,

please remember my heart and my soul.

The essence of me, is still intact.

by: Debbie Wilson

3-1-96

There is this man whom I love. Day after day he makes me laugh no matter how hard the day has been. He finds incredible joy in making people around him happy.

He loves intensely; so deep and honest.

He enjoys life. All the small things...all the stuff through the day that anyone else might miss. 

I could write a whole book just on the way Cale has changed since the accident. In fact, my heart often wants to focus on it. And then I look at him; I watch the way he lights up a room and causes smiles to spread. I watch how he stands for truth and says, "lying is bad." 

There is this man who daily I'm learning who he is becoming; the new Cale. I'm living this life getting to know and fall even more in love with one of the best men I know.

I read the poem above the other day written by a lady who has a brain injury and is able to share her thoughts with so many to encourage and be that person that understands. 

As I read the words, I felt like it described Cale so much. 

He does have outbursts of anger and his memory does fail him. He isn't always easy to understand when he talks and sometimes he gets really confused. He needs the right amount of stimulation to function and fatigue comes quickly. 

BUT, his heart is so much fuller. He still loves and still needs to be loved. He's still a friend and still needs friends. The essence of him is still intact.

I don't want to grow old with this man dwelling on what he can no longer do and what has changed. Rather, I want to grow old with this man continually learning who he is and allowing our marriage to be drenched in the love that is possible through Christ.