Coming home from Torah study

Sheldon is one of my favorite neighbors. He has been through suffering most people couldn't imagine. Born in the Bronx, he's a strong leftist, a supporter of labor unions and compassionate government. Surprised by accidents of fate, he became a reluctant recipient of some of those services, and he ended up in the building where I live, aging rapidly. A year ago he was pale, thin, and hunched in pain. He told me it was all he could do to get through the day and cope with the pain. His only daily excursion was a ride in the elevator down to the lobby to check his mail, and he told me that exhausted him.

Today I was delighted to see him walking without a walker, blocks from home, smiling and tipping his hat gallantly to passersby. A successful hip replacement freed him to move around without pain, and now he is seeking community in a nearby synagogue. 

"I'd love to have a picture, thanks. I can send it to my brother, who is terribly ill. I haven't seen him in years, and I don't think he would even recognize me now." I almost didn't recognize him myself. He made my heart smile. A closeup is my "extra" for today.

Comments off, with thanks for the very helpful advice yesterday. I've taken all of it to heart!