Never Forget Your Beginnings
Back in the mid 90’s a friend of mine, named Les Hayes, approached me with a request. He asked if he could bring to my house a computer for me to use. My immediate response was “No thanks, I’m too old to learn something new.”
I continued my argument with “Why would I even need a personal computer now; after all, I never had a need for one up to this point in my life?”
Les wouldn’t take no for an answer. His argument for having a computer was much greater than mine. I agreed, and the computer was in my home a few days later. Les did a great job of explaining the value of the computer. He showed me how different programs worked and soon I was off and running.
For several months I continued to grow in my understanding of the computer and how it saved me time in getting work done. Soon I was deeply entrenched in its value; so much so, it became an indispensable part of my life, even to this day.
While I was first becoming acquainted with the new computer, I did not realize what impact this computer was having on my little boy, Isaac. While Les was training me, Isaac was constantly looking over our shoulders to see what was going on. I later found out while I was away from home, Isaac was at the computer – checking it out.
Isaac was like a sponge, soaking up all there was to know about computing. He also learned how to take them apart and put them back together again. In less than two years Isaac surpassed my understanding of computers and began teaching me "new tricks."
Today, my son and I are partners in a dotcom company. Isaac is still “light years” beyond me in computing, but I can still hold my own (to a certain degree). We owe all of this to Les Hayes, who the Lord used to invest something important into our lives.
I saw Les the other day. We had not seen each other in over 7 years. Life had got busy for the both of us and we simply lost track of each other. I learned that Les had to put Sandra, his lovely wife of 43 years, into a nursing home in Birmingham, Alabama.
Each week Les travels to Birmingham and spends two day with Sandra at the nursing home. She does not recognize Les, or their children. Their situation reminds me of the movie, “Notebook.” I never thought that I would actually know someone who is living out that movie in real life.
As I listened to Les tell me all about his situation, my heart was deeply burdened. He told me something that I will never, ever forget. He said, “Spend as much time with your wife as you can.” I knew exactly what he meant.
Les Hayes made a valuable contribution into the lives of my son and me. When I shared with him what Isaac and I were doing now, he was very delighted. I told him that we cannot tell the “full story” of Simon Solutions without referencing his contributions to our lives.
I will now contribute into the life of Les and his family with my prayers. For those of you, who read this blog; please remember Les and Sandra in your prayers. Thanks!
