I have always said that I get so much more from the Biloxi trip than I have ever given in hours working and hours sweating. I was thinking much simpler, without our trips to the Back Bay Mission in Biloxi I would never have John Kuehner as a friend. So everything else the friends like Eva May and Mrs. Fields, Craig, the years on the board are all gravy, just because the goofy bowlegged (before surgery that is) guy is my friend. John hits you with a little bit of everything his sense of the world, his kindness, his goofy sense of humor ( I don't care who you are--that's funny), but there's no way to look at John Kuehner without thinking of hard work. His hands are the result of working hard for hours on end each day and continuing this process for year after year. I wish I could somehow bottle up the work ethic and the sweat that he puts into a regular day and give it to my students. They would see how this man has made everything he has built (and he has built a lot of things) with just good ole' old-fashioned sweat.
Hopefully, some new Biloxi kid will stumble across this blog and read about Mr. Kuehner, they will not know the size of his hands or how much work those hands have accomplished. I sincerely hope next week one of them walks up to him and asks to see his hands. It will make me laugh when I see the gasp of a 17 year old. His heart is twice as big as his hands, and I probably only know one tenth of the things he has done for others. I take that back, I probably only know one fiftieth of what he has done. The man behind Candy Cane Lane is always ready to be kind to those that are having it a little bit tough. I was one of those recipients and one day I came home to a brand new water heater when I was between jobs. When I tried to figure out a way to pay him. He laughed with a big smile and said, "It's been a good week, no worries." But here is why it was a good week, John probably took two extra jobs and worked a 13 hour day to make it a good week and I got all the rewards.
John, Hayley, his sister and I drove to Joplin with some cash his sister had raised from her bar. We were cleaning out a house that had been damaged and his sister was bit by a small snake. John was up the road trying to help out someone with their air conditioning problem. When he came back his sister immediately start telling him the story and he responed, "Well, a snake in the front yard just told me some women was squeezing him, So now I don't know who to believe." That is funny I don't care who you are.
Sometime next week, I will see Beanie or Snorks look at their day with such a look of love and fondness and at least once or twice they will roll their eyes at something he has done. Right there on Candy Cane Lane is the secret for happiness. It makes sense that pure happiness and joy would live on Candy Cane Lane. The secret is simple work hard every day, love your family with all your hear, and one someone who others forgot needs help--help them. John Kuehner is my friend.
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