Heart of Gold

I'm pretty loose with describing some people as having a heart of gold but my neighbor here in the park really fits that description perfectly.

Every Valentines Day, his immediate neighbors find a little valentine card taped to their front door, courtesy of Ron and Gerry, but left by Ron. His heart is so big and so kind that it's hard to find words to describe him.

First and foremost, he's a truly loving husband to Gerry and she's got a big enough heart of her own to let her sometimes crazy husband to run free. His front yard has a lovingly cultivated garden but in amongst the plants you might find an alligator peeping out or even Xmas ornaments in December. He has used a wildly distorted tree branch as the base for a silly little birdhouse he's outfitted with a ladder to help a bird move in. Children (and adults) love to stop in front of his house to see what silliness he's put there for their amusement.

Ron loves to play the clown or tell jokes just to make us happy. But he's not just a funnyman. He is one of the kindest people I've ever come across and I know there's a special place in heaven for him. Hopefully he and Gerry have many more years before heaven claims him but he really is a special person in this world. I've said before that Dennis used to call him a prince and that's what he is.

All of his immediate neighbors wandered outside this morning for one reason or another...to put the gargage out, let the dog out, or just to greet the day...and all of them smiled with happiness when they saw the little card taped to their front door.

Thank you, Ron, for being you.