My Uncle Who is Challenged

I had the privilege of "acquiring" an uncle who had a special case in his mind. He is actually a direct uncle of my wife and I had the fondest memories of him whenever he was around. However, it turned out to be difficult when you had to take care of him yourself. I had these images in my mind about how inconvenient, how it wasn't my responsibility, and why the burden was placed on our shoulders...

All those images were false though, and even if they had some truth in it, it wasn't about him... it was about me. It's me who is supposed to learn and grow with these circumstances. Uncle Gilbert is already like that...that is a given. But I can change, that is the variable factor. And God can bless me tremendously, that is another variable.

My ninong Daniel had it said plainly in a rebuke of love, that it is easy for us to love those who are loving us back. God, people around us, wife, children, people who are normally responsive. Even those who are difficult to love is easier to love than uncle because we can have hope that they will change and might love us back. In Uncle's case... he never will. Unless some miracle happens. It is a true challenge to us as Christians to love those who are unloved, and those incapable of loving us back. He will never naturally hug you, or tell you he loves you, or offer you help, a drink, his food, offer to do you favors...nope, he may never will. But in return I must hug him, tell him we love him, offer him help, drink, food, etc. That is a case where I must learn, (and honestly I'm getting the hang of it) and relearn all the stuff you read in the Bible, and all the stuff you learn in Sunday school.

I was looking at his pictures after I took him to bath, and we were sort of having guessing games who's who in the pictures. He can recognize key people like his dad, of course himself, my wife, etc. And as i was looking at his kid pictures, it dawned on me that he was a happy kid. He really was. I saw his genuine smiles in the pictures, he seemed to enjoy himself growing up, he was also kinda fit! I was wondering what happened along the way that caused him to be angry and unresponsive. He actually went to Rome and all those places, and I could really see that he had a great childhood.

I again wondered if Uncle had a normal mind. What would he be doing? What was his line of work? Would he be a godfather to my future kids? I don't know...

I heard him singing just now... I wonder where he learned that song, and when? Who taught him? Was he happy at that time? What images flash in his mind whenever he sang?

I also started thanking God because he gave me a "burden" not too heavy to bear. Uncle Gilbert knew how to take a bath, to take a dump and wash himself. He didn't splatter his pee all around the house. He is quite easy to get along with, and he doesn't know how to hurt people. The only problem with him is even too small to mention publicly.

In this life, as I always say, it doesn't get better. In fact, it gets harder and harder. Its only us who must learn to grow stronger, and be more mature, and to depend on God more as the storms of life continually come.