Doctors told Cornelius, an 83-year-old ice cream tycoon that he had Stage 4 cancer of the prostate, which was beginning to spread to his lungs. He kept his ailment secret from everyone, even his family, withdrawing in total depression. He hibernated in his mansion by the sea, but the peace and quiet made him even more depressed. Now comes his granddaughter, like an angel from heaven.
eastwind journals, July 27, 2022 (archives tr284)
By Bernie V. Lopez, eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com
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ELIZABETH – Hey, gramps, I heard you have cancer of the balls.
CORNELIUS – Young lady, who told you that? No one knows, not even your mommy.
ELIZABETH – When I saw your face yesterday, I knew something was wrong. Mommy said nothing was wrong. So, I talked to Dr. Earhart, your doctor, and told him that, if he did not tell me the truth, I would tell you about his affair with your secretary.
CORNELIUS – The bastard.
ELIZABETH – No worry gramps. I did not tell mommy. I need a favor, gramps – 500 wheelchairs for lame children.
CORNELIUS – No problem. (Writing a blank check without a second thought.) Here, give this to Daisy and she’ll buy them for you.
ELIZABETH – I want you to give the wheelchairs personally to the kids.
CORNELIUS – What for? I’m depressed. Leave me alone. I will do no such thing.
ELIZABETH – Please, gramps, don’t be an ostrich with your head buried in the ground. When you give from your heart, it’s different from giving from your pocket. (She embraces the old man.)
CORNELIUS – How can I refuse my favorite grandchild?
ELIZABETH – Nope. You can’t. Great. I will join you when you give to the kids.
CORNELIUS – Be in charge. Be the Emcee. Daisy will guide you. I don’t want any fanfare. No decors, no bands, no media, no nothing. Just us and the kids. Get some pizzas.
ELIZABETH – Good as done, gramps.
On the day of the event, there was pandemonium, as 322 lame kids played and screamed at each other excitedly on the giant garden. The 500 wheelchairs were lined up with red ribbons on the handle bars, glistening in the morning sun. Cornelius is himself on a wheelchair.
ELIZABETH – (She gets the microphone and raises her hand. They ignore her.) If you don’t shut up, we will call it a day and go home. (Sudden dead silence.). Let me introduce my gramps to you (Cornelius waves, the children wave back in silence.) Gramps Cornelius didn’t want to be here because he is very sad because he is sick, just like you. But I told him that if he doesn’t join us, he will become more sad. And since I am his favorite grandchild out 14 others, he had no choice. (applause from the kids). So, let us give him a scream. Everybody, scream as loud as you can. (The screams echo across the garden.)
A 5-year-old girl, seeing her wheelchair, hugs Cornelius. Cornelius tries to hide his tears. A 14-year-old boy sees this and says, “Don’t hide your tears, gramps. They will wash your soul and heal you. We love you, gramps.”
Cornelius had no plans of giving a speech. But he grabbed the microphone from Elizabeth.
CORNELIUS – I have never been so happy in all my life. I feel strong. I am healed. (He stands up and raises his hands.) Can we all scream together? (The screams reverberate once more).
He was interviewed by Fortune Magazine for a cover story entitled ‘Gramps’.
JOURNALIST – Gramps, we learned you were given 6 months to live. It’s been a year. What is your secret?
CORNELIUS – I just wanted to be alone. Thanks to Elizabeth for twisting my arm. Suddenly, seeing the kids on their wheelchairs so happy made me happy. Their happiness rubbed on me. It’s contagious. I did not know my happiness would heal my cancer. Spiritual things can heal the body. My advice to tycoons – give from your heart, not from the pocket. It works wonders for your heart.
Cornelius built eight orphanages and spent his life jumping from one to another, surrounding himself with wheelchaired kids. He let Elizabeth’s dad run the empire, who was the Martha getting things done. Cornelius was the Mary, who chose what was better, and it was not to be taken away from him.
ELIZABETH – Gramps, you wasted a lot of precious time building a stupid empire.
CORNELIUS – I know, I know. But it doesn’t matter now. I am just beginning to live.
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FOR THOSE WHO NEED HEALING, spiritual or physical (depression, anxiety, loneliness, terminal cancer, covid, diabetes, etc.) – say an online healing prayer with one or both healers below. Terminal patients have been healed in cyberspace –
1) Father Fernando Suarez – www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UP3LHBgtIc.
2) Sr. Raquel Reodica, RVM – www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAZcwNimBSg
Download free e-book ‘Healing Stories of Sr. Raquel’ at eastwindjournals.com/2021/08/13/healing-stories-of-sr-raquel-e-book-free-download/).
AUTHOR’S BOOK – Wings and Wanderlust – Discovering Your Inner Self. At age 26, the author hitchhiked 25,000 kilometers in Europe and North Africa for three straight years. In this book of his wild adventures, he learned deep insights that changed him totally, which he wants to share with readers. It also a guidebook on how to plan your own adventure.
Order a paperback or an e-book. For paperbacks, if you are a Philippine resident, save on shipping cost by ordering by email at eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com. For e-books, if you have an IPAD, download the app ‘kindle’. For non-IPADS, buy a kindle device (check guidelines.) – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KS7QYWL.
Author’s Credentials. Blogger – ex-Columnist (Inquirer) – Healing Ministry – ex-Professor (Ateneo University) – Documentary Producer-Director (freelance, ex-ABS-CBN, ex-TVS Tokyo) – ex-Broadcaster (Radio Veritas) – Facebook “Bernie V. Lopez Eastwind” / Pages “Eastwind Journeys and Journals” and “Mary Queen of Peace”.
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