One Hot Summer Day in 1970, I came home from work early because I was having chest pains and difficulty breathing. Soon I also lost consciousness, and woke up in a hospital. The doctor said that my heart condition was very delicate and that I needed to be transferred to a heart center that could give me necessary care. Heart problems were common in my family, and I had had this problem before. The last doctor who cared for me said I must take extra care of myself for the next attack would be my last.
I decided not to go to the heart center because it was too expensive for me. That night I was brought back to my boardinghouse on a stretcher by ambulance. My landlady, who had earlier found me unconscious, was very worried. Alone in my room, I was getting weaker and was unable to breathe without pain. I turned with all my heart to God, asking forgiveness for me and for my parents. Ours was a broken family, and I was feeling sad for myself and for my siblings, whom I would not be able to help now. Seeing no hope for recovery, I placed my life in God's hands. I remember feeling peaceful and lighthearted, knowing that God was forgiving me.
The true function of a heart is to express joy and gratitude.
