7

When I was 7, a boy in my class at church died.

One week at church, our teacher taught us about the ten lepers.  She told us of ten men who had been sick and then all healed by our Savior.  She told us of how only one had come back to thank Christ.  She asked us if we would do the same.  She asked us what we might say to the nine who did not go back to give thanks.

Kenny, the boy who was bald after the chemotherapy treatments he endured because of leukemia, said, "I would punch them in the face!"

He was a very happy kid.  Week after week in our class at church, he told us that we should all be grateful for the blessings we had in our lives.  The smile that was always on his face was infectious.  To him, the idea of not thanking Jesus for a blessing of healing was just infuriating.

At Kenny's funeral, I noticed that a lot of the adults were very sad.  This made no sense to me.  Kenny had always been happy and he was with his Father in Heaven now.  So, what did we have to be sad about?

Of course, as I grew up, I began to see the tragedy in the loss of such a young, vibrant, joyous boy, even if it is only a temporary separation.

I have always been grateful for this boy's example of gratitude.  I don't even remember his last name, but he made a life-long impact on my heart.  At his funeral, his sisters sang the hymn "Because I Have Been Given Much".  Every single time I hear that song, I think of Kenny.  I think of expressing thanks for my blessings, no matter what the trials in my life are.  I cannot imagine how much pain he was in, but I can remember his playful grin and his boisterous laughter.