He Took Away My Complaints
The young man standing next to me is Mr. David Conti Jr. I saw him back in 1999 for the first time. D.J. as he is known by was at his school for the "Field Day Event" for the 1st Graders and Kindergarten.
I volunteered to help that day but was very tired. When the horn blew and all of the students came running across the field to the event, I said to myself, "Lowell, what are you doing here?" Again I was tired and was not ready to work with so many children at 8:30am after working all night.
Well when I saw this young man come across the playground at a "distance" I noticed he was on crutches! I said to myself, "Oh, he is going to have a hard time today." Then as he got closer, I noticed that he only had "one leg"!! I could believe my eyes because he could not have been more than 6 or 7 years old! I could not figure out what had happened to this "Little Boy".
I became scared thinking that he would come to my "Jump Rope Event". I did not know if I should tell him, "No , you can not do this." Then I said to myself if I tried to "help him" he might be embarrassed. Well when the Principal announced, "You can got to any event, win your points and come back to the table and get your prize", I dropped my head and PRAYED that he would not come to the "Jump Rope Event". Well you know "Prayer works".
When I looked up this young man with "One Leg" was the first one to line up for the 50 yard dash! I could not believe it! There he was "Enjoying Life with One Leg" and I was complaining about having to take 4 pills in the morning and 4 pills in the evening to manage my epilepsy!
I walked off the field that day "Thanking God" for what I had experienced! I never met D.J until 5 years later and this is when I found out he had lost his leg to "Cancer" at the age of 4 years old. He still played soccer and was a swimmer! He did everything but "complain". This is one of the people I dedicated my book "The Village" to because "He Took Away My Complaints".
The picture is from my book signing at my church New Life Providence.
Thank you,
Lowell G.Evans
Author of "The Village"
