H IS FOR HEART

It has been said that when people develop heart problems, it rattles them to the core in a way unlike disorders of other body parts. The reason given is that almost all of us associate the heart with life and the center of our being. What symbol is used to denote love? A heart, of course. We live and love. Suffering from a heart ailment seems to jar our entire foundation.

Psychologically and physically, our hearts come into play every single day. Yes, so do our brains and other organs; however, we are aware of the heart in different ways.

Physically, when we are at rest, we might notice its rhythmic beating, or perhaps its irregular rhythm. Many of us know our resting pulse rate. Our ears often fill with the sound of our hearts pumping our blood. When we get a fright, doesn't the heart respond by accelerating its beat? We note it is working extra hard to get us through the dreadful scare. If we are fitness buffs, we consciously make it a point to be aware of our hearts during workouts.

Psychologically, our hearts hold us captive. All of us have experienced or encountered broken hearts, happy hearts, smiling hearts, bleeding hearts, sad hearts, cold hearts, black hearts, and the like. We offer "heartfelt" condolences to the grieving. And we really do feel their pain in our hearts. Maybe not physical pain, but our brain tells us that someone's loss weighs heavily on our hearts. Home is where the heart is. Who has not heard that said? Wherever the heart is, then that is where the rest of our bodies can be found or would like to be.

There are so many other examples of the value and place our hearts hold in our lives. Yet, there is also a phrase I find extremely meaningful. Sometimes, I believe it is overused by the media. When applied in the manner I think it is intended to be, it is quite powerful.

The phrase is, "That person has heart."

If we can turn away from the negativity of the news' focus, we are able to see a multitude of people who "have heart." How many times have you read or heard about someone who goes above and beyond the norm in an effort to help others even at his own risk? That person has heart. Mother Teresa had heart on a grand scale. We all know people who have it. Some more so than others. And we often marvel at the "heart" they display.

This past weekend I had the opportunity on two separate days to be surrounded by folks who have heart. Both events I had the privilege of attending were ceremonies honoring people.

Saturday evening's dinner extravaganza was something else. 1,200 people attended to watch numerous people receive awards for their accomplishments. No, they were not given those crystal trophies because they had heart per se, but I happen to have firsthand knowledge of the heart many of them possess. I have seen their compassion and selflessness on many occasions.

Sunday afternoon's ceremony was a smaller gathering, but the lone recipient of the honor had more heart than anyone I have ever known. It was evident by those who gathered to celebrate that the compassion of the honoree was abundant. People from all walks of life came: the elderly and the young, the ailing and the healthy, the rich and the poor, white collar and blue collar.

Thoughts about both of those functions have been replayed in my mind many times. I have some photographs from them I also keep viewing. I think what impacted me the most was that many, many people in attendance at those events themselves have heart. Maybe, just maybe, when a person is compassionate, he or she has a tendency to attract or be surrounded by those who also have that wonderful character trait. And it is appreciated.

"One learns people through the heart, not the eyes or the intellect." ~Mark Twain