I met a young man at a drug treatment center three weeks ago who looked so sad. He was 26 years old, had a beard and wore a Notre Dame sweatshirt. The following week I thought about him often and prayed for whatever bothered him.

The next Saturday, I told him how God had placed him on my heart and that I hoped one day he would realize how special he was to God.

Last Saturday was his last weekend to be at the recovery center, and as is customary, he was allowed to speak. All he said was that he enjoyed meeting me and that he loved me.

After the meeting, the nurse said that it was the first time she had seen him smile.

Before I left, we spoke for a few minutes, and he said he would keep in touch with me. I then asked him why he wore that Notre Dame shirt every week. “I love Notre Dame,” he answered. “Did you ever see them play?” I asked. “Just once,” he said. “It was great to be in South Bend.” I then asked it he had seen the movie “Rudy.” “Over 100 times,” he replied. “I love that movie.”

As I was about to leave, I asked if he had one wish, what would it be? Without hesitating, he answered, “I wish I had a new body.” He then told me that he was born with serious internal health problems and had undergone 27 surgeries.

On the way home, I thought about something I read earlier in the week concerning what money can’t buy. “Money will buy you a bed but not sleep, books but not brains, food but not an appetite, a house but not a home, medicine but not health, luxuries but not happiness, image but not character, and religion but not salvation.”

I had to repent for taking for granted the many blessings that God has blessed me with, especially good health and salvation.

If you have any questions or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call (985) 652-8477, or e-mail: hkeller@comcast.net.