When I was a kid, one of my favorite times of the year was Labor Day Weekend. It was the one time of year when I got to stay up all night to watch the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon. I would watch it from the beginning on my little black and white TV in my room and see it all the way through to the end when the final tote board would show what had been raised for the year. I was always amazed at how each and every year they always topped the year before.

Watching the telethon, I got the idea that I wanted to do something on my own. So I decided that I was going to have a fair in the park and raise money for Leukemia. I went around to all the businesses in town and solicited donations for prizes, worked with vendors to supply sodas and food and set up all kinds of games where people could pay to play. The response from the local businesses was amazing. I supposed they weren’t used to twelve year old boys taking on this kind of endeavor, but I was determined to make it a success.

During the event we had cake walks, games, raffles and other ways that we collected money to donate to the Leukemia society. I don’t remember exactly how much we raised, but it was enough to get a story done about us on the television and the society presented me with a little black and white TV that I cherished well into my 20’s until it finally died.

Now fast forward 43 years and the good deeds that I did all those years ago are now coming back to benefit me years later. This morning I was speaking to my dad’s doctor’s office regarding the new treatment that they are putting him on. The medicine that he will need to take is $13,000 a month. While insurance will pay for some, he will still have copayments and his first one will be almost $3,000. Needless to say, they cant afford that and so the office is trying to get him copay assistance. Where is that initial assistance coming from? You guessed it, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Those seeds of good that I planted all those years ago are now sprouting to benefit my family in a time of need. That is the amazing thing about doing good works. You never do them expecting anything in return. However, the universe has a way of rewarding us when we least expect it. When the office person told me where the money would be coming from, my hair stood up on my arm and I was immediately transported back to that day in the park so many years ago.

When we give from the heart without expectation, we set a series of events in motion that are totally unknown to us at the time. That is one of the beautiful things about life. When we least expect it those events culminate in an unexpected opportunity that one could have never expected all those years ago. I am humbled and grateful for the blessings that come my way.

Have a great weekend and remember to be the reason someone smiles.

Ron