Heart Change

Sometimes our minds and hearts are changed unexpectedly

After a 30-year career in the mining industry, I needed to make a decision: Do I keep doing this work with it’s crazy schedule, long commute, and other things that are causing my body harm, or do I jump ship while I’m still healthy?

It was a difficult decision. I hadn’t saved enough money to retire early so I knew I would have to continue working. In a town of less than 1000 people and the nearest larger city being an hour away, what kind of work could I possibly do? I didn’t want to sell my home because I knew I would never find anything similar and affordable. So, I decided to dig in and figure something out.

I finally made the decision to blow the dust off a small business I created many years ago and start working from home. I found numerous opportunities using what are called “client portals” to find a client that would “hire” my small business to provide support to their customers. It took me a few months before I decided on one and applied. Long story short, I signed a contract and the rest, as they say, is history. This was in 2019.

My small business has provided support for several different companies over the years. In the last 5 years I have spoken with thousands and thousands of people across the country. I was on the phone with people during “covid,” I’ve cried with people who told me they just lost their spouse, child, or parent from “turbo cancer”, I’ve rejoiced with people who have reported to me they just found out they were cancer free. With one client I had the opportunity to help motivate people to keep exercising and eating healthy. Nevertheless, this work has been different than anything I was used to and it’s been incredibly rewarding. I don’t make near the money. In fact, I make a fraction of what I made in the mining industry. But the gains I’ve made spiritually, mentally, and physically have been mind-blowing, to say the least.

In the small business world, clients come and clients go. It’s rare to get a contract that lasts more than a year or two. Almost 2 years ago, I landed a contract supporting Medicaid recipients in an undisclosed state. I couldn’t help but think, “I can’t stand people who abuse the system, how am I going to (in good conscience) do this work without undermining my principles?” I took the classes to become certified to access and use the client’s systems and, after a few weeks, I began taking calls.

In the time I’ve spent providing services for this client, I’ve had something happen. Almost like the Grinch when his heart swells after realizing that stealing Christmas didn’t bring him happiness. It was the kindness of a little girl that showed him that long held beliefs were only holding him back from experiencing true joy.

Some of the changes in my heart are as follows:

Not all public assistance recipients are lazy African Americans; In my experience, it’s about evenly split between the Caucasian and African American races.

Not all public assistance recipients are sitting at home watching TV; I’ve had conversations with hundreds of people who are working 2 jobs and can barely afford their $1500 a month rent and also have some physical issues they believe need treatment.

Not all public assistance recipients are unappreciative; You know, all in all, it is an extremely rare occasion when I speak with a recipient where I can tell that they are demanding and feel like they are “owed” anything.

Autism is an epidemic; I’m servicing one state. Of the couple dozen calls I get every day, at least 50 percent of them are parents who have an autistic child (or in one case, THREE autistic children) all needing diapers, special beds, etc. One of the most heart wrenching was an older lady in her 60s who had a 30 something year old autistic son she had spent her life caring for. She asked if there was any way she could get an adult sized stroller for her son. I tear up even now. She was so kind, and had a countenance about her that I can’t adequately describe here.

“Vaccines” are not the panacea they are made out to be by the government, media, and the medical profession; I have spoken with hundreds of people who have had adverse reactions to shots. Granted, I am unable to speak about this with them in detail, but I’m able to “discern around the edges.”

The “covid” shots are dangerous; I’ve spoken with dozens and dozens of parents whose child has had a stroke or a heart attack.

I could list so many other examples of how my attitude has changed about the type of people who receive public assistance. Don’t get me wrong, I still believe it is flat wrong to steal someone’s money and give it to someone else through taxation. To force someone to pay for something they may not agree with. But, for now, it is what it is. There’s nothing I can do about it, so I resign myself to grin and bear it to the best of my ability. I must remember that I have no idea what the person I am speaking with has been through in their life. I don’t know enough about any of these people to make a snap judgement about them in any way. Oh sure, there’s a few recipients that I can immediately tell are bucking the system (like the rare person who lists 15 children on their account… and that’s *not* an exaggeration). But, for the most part, regardless of what I believe, the person I am speaking with really believes they need the help.

So, Rob D, will you please make a point! Haha. Okay. I mentioned all the above to lead me to just one scenario. One example that changed my mind about something so completely that it was, literally, life altering. You see, I’ve been someone who believes that many who participated in the whole “covid” scam, the masking, the shots, the distancing, the testing… well, you get the point… the madness, were ignorant fools. Maybe ignorant is the wrong word because I do believe ignorance has a part to play… but the ignorance is not their fault in many cases.

I spoke with an older lady in her mid-60s. She was incredibly kind and sweet. Her voice was full of hopefulness and a kind of “pleading” (for lack of a better word). She seemed educated, in her right mind, and sharp. She began to tell me about her “covid” injections. She had taken all of them (6 for her at last count). She told me how after each “vaccine” she had only gotten sicker and sicker, to the point that she felt she needed to call Medicaid to see if there were some specialists she could go see. I helped this dear soul the best I could, and after about a 15-minute call, before the call was going to end, she asked, “Rob, do I need to get the latest covid vaccine? My heart sank into a pit so deep I don’t think I’ve been able to dig it out yet. Legally, I had to reply, “Please speak with your doctor.”

I ended the call and had to take a break. That call has haunted me for months now. It made me reflect on my own stubborn beliefs about people who have fallen for the many scams in our society over the years. I started thinking about this dear soul who *trusts* her doctor, her government, the media she watches, and the state agency (Medicaid). This beautiful person really believes there’s no way these agencies she trusts would ever lead her astray. Would never give bad advice. Would never recommend a product or service that could harm her. During my break I concluded that this wonderful, valuable person is a victim. She didn’t want this to happen to her. I started asking myself, “how many others out there are just like her?” and “how many of these same people have I mumbled under my breath about in public?”

I’ll end this post (which is getting a bit wordy and long… like usual), by saying, we must be better than the rest, right? Those of us who are aware of the world and it’s evil system must use the gifts of discernment and enlightenment we have been given, not to walk around with a pompous and arrogant air, but with a level of humility and kindness. A bit of compassion. To remember that if circumstances were just a bit different, we could very well be the person I mentioned above. We’re blessed to know better, but knowing better doesn’t give us license to judge or mistreat someone else because of their bad choices. We may never know what path a person was on when they made the choices they made. And shouldn’t mercy, grace and kindness play a part in how we present ourselves to those who have made a choice we don’t agree with? Shouldn’t we give them a chance? Maybe through our mercy, one of these lost souls will find their way. And what an admirable and rewarding goal that should be for all of us.