Happiness heals

Doctors told Cornelius, an 83-year-old ice cream tycoon, that he had Stage 4 prostate cancer, which was beginning to spread to his lungs. He kept his ailment secret from everyone, even his family, withdrawing in total depression. He hibernated in his mansion by the sea, but the peace and quiet made him even more depressed.

Elizabeth: Hey, gramps, I heard you have cancer of the balls.

Cornelius: Young lady, who told you that? No one knows, not even your mommy.

Elizabeth: When I saw your face during a visit, I knew something was wrong. Mommy said nothing was wrong. So, I talked to Dr. Earhart, your doctor, and told him that, if he did not tell me the truth, I would tell you about his affair with your secretary.

Cornelius: The bastard.

Elizabeth: No worry, gramps. I did not tell mommy. I need a favor, gramps — 500 wheelchairs for lame children.

Cornelius: No problem. (Writing a blank check.) Here, give this to Daisy and she’ll buy them for you.

Elizabath: I want you to give the wheelchairs personally to the kids.

Cornelius: What for? I’m depressed. Leave me alone. I will do

“Giving happiness makes the giver happier. I did not know my happiness would heal my cancer. Spiritual things can heal the body.

“The 500 wheelchairs with red ribbons on the handle bars were lined up, glistening in the morning sun.

no such thing.

Elizabeth: Please, gramps, don’t be an ostrich with your head buried in the ground. When you give from your heart, it’s different from giving from your pocket. (She embraces the old man.)

Cornelius: How can I refuse my favorite grandchild?

Elizabeth: Nope. You can’t. Great. I will join you when you give to the kids.

Cornelius: You be in charge. Be the emcee. Daisy will guide you. I don’t want any fanfare. No decors, no bands, no media, no nothing. Just us and the kids. Get some pizzas.

Elizabath: Good as done, gramps. On the day of the event, there was pandemonium, as 322 lame kids played and screamed at each other excitedly on the giant garden. The 500 wheelchairs with red ribbons on the handle bars were lined up, glistening in the morning sun. Cornelius is sitting on a wheelchair.

Elizabeth: (She gets the microphone and raises her hand. They ignore her.) If you don’t shut up, we will call it a day and go home. (Sudden dead silence. She winks at gramps.) Let me introduce my gramps to you. (Cornelius waves, the children wave back in silence.)

Elizabath: Gramps Cornelius didn’t want to be here because he is very sad because he is sick, just like you. But I told him that if he doesn’t join us, he can keep his money. And since I am his favorite grandchild out of 14 others, he had no choice. (Applause from the kids.) So, let us give him a scream. Everybody, scream as loud as you can. (The screams echo across the garden.)

A five-year-old girl, seeing her wheelchair, hugs Cornelius. Cornelius tries to hide his tears. A 14-year-old boy sees this and says, “Don’t hide your tears, gramps. They will wash your soul and heal you. We love you, gramps.”

Cornelius had no plans of giving a speech. But he grabbed the microphone from Elizabeth.

Cornelius: I have never been so happy in all my life. I feel strong. I am healed. (He stands up and raises his hands.) Can we all scream together? (The screams reverberate once more.)

He was interviewed by Fortune magazine for a cover story entitled “Gramps.”

Journalist: Gramps, we learned you were given six months to live. It’s been a year and you are still alive. What is your secret?

Cornelius: I just wanted to be alone. Thanks to Elizabeth for twisting my arm. Suddenly, seeing the kids on their wheelchairs so happy changed me. When you make someone happy, it rubs on you. Giving happiness makes the giver happier. I did not know my happiness would heal my cancer. Spiritual things can heal the body. My advice to tycoons — give from your heart. It works wonders for your heart.

Cornelius built eight orphanages and spent his life jumping from one to another, surrounding himself with wheelchaired kids. He let Elizabeth’s dad run the empire, who was the Martha getting things done. Cornelius was the

Mary, who chose what was better, and it was not taken away from him.

Elizabeth: Gramps, you wasted a lot of precious time building a stupid empire.

Cornelius: I know, I know. But it doesn’t matter now. I am just beginning to live.