Despite problems, one woman is always thankful

Nov 27, 2008 (Goshen News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- SHLD | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- As Thanksgiving festivities take place in homes across the country today, 54-year-old Linda Sage, too, will sit down with her family to give thanks for what she has.

Sage lives in an old, farm-style house in downtown Elkhart with her six grandchildren, whom she has been raising by herself since her daughter died in a car accident four years ago.

After working for 37 years in the nursing field as a qualified medical aide, certified nursing assistant and working with medical records, Sage was forced to quit due to medical conditions. She suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure and diabetes. She uses oxygen and insulin on a daily basis.

Getting by

Now, unemployed since 2003, she gets by on Social Security, disability payments and occasionally a little help from her friends. That help is something she rarely seeks, however.

"I don't ask for help unless I really, desperately need it," she said. "I get asked, 'Do you need anything? Do you need a turkey?' I tell them there's got to be people who need the help more than me."

In fact, she is so dedicated to self-reliance that she didn't know until someone told her a year and a half ago that she was living below the poverty level. She worries more about families dealing with layoffs than she does about her own situation, about which she remains positive.

"Nowadays, with the economy the way it is, it's hard," she said, adding that, for her, "when one door closes, another one opens up. It's really a blessing."

Staying positive

Sage actually seems to be all smiles despite what negatives exist in her life. Her living room exudes much the same atmosphere. Decoration is sparse, but it is clean. A Christmas tree brightens the corner with warm, colorful light. A large bookshelf sits, happily stocked, against the wall. And eight tiny puppies snooze away on a soft blanket spread across the floor next to a window.

The puppies are a recent addition, only 4 weeks old. Their mother whines loudly at the back door, pawing and barking, unhappy to be separated from her litter. Sage won't keep the puppies, calling herself a one dog kind of person. Already, she has found homes for most of them, and expects to finish with the rest of them soon.

The grandchildren

Most important to Sage, however, are her grandchildren, whom she says always come first in her life. She spends much of her time keeping the house clean and making sure Leon, 16, Sylvia, 15, Jonathon, 13, Tina, 12, Marcus, 10 and Asia, 9, each have everything they need. She is very proud of this fact.

As Sylvia and Marcus sat in the room playing with the puppies, she asked them both, "Have you ever not had anything to eat or had to go without anything?"

Sylvia shrugged. To her, the answer was obvious.

"No," she said.

Marcus agreed, shaking his head.

She did admit, however, to enjoying her "time off."

"My favorite times in the day are when all the kids go to school and I have the house all to myself, and when they come home," Sage said. "The quiet time during the day, that's my time for me."

Gifts for all

With Christmas rapidly approaching, one would think Sage's purse strings would have drawn tight. She has found ways to shop for all the grandchildren without breaking her budget.

"This year for the holidays, I haven't had to get help yet," she said proudly, adding with a laugh, "God bless K-Mart's layaway."

Sage's perception of life and how to deal with problems can likely be credited for much of her positive attitude. When faced with issues she has to solve, she takes a deep breath and puts herself in a forward-thinking state of mind.

"It's like, OK, I can deal with this, this is cool," Sage said.

Still, she has her daydreams just like everyone else.

"My biggest dream is to take a trip out of the country to England. I've always loved that country," Sage said.

In 1982, she had the opportunity to move to England on a work visa for nursing. She called offices in the country and did some research in the library, but couldn't afford the move.

For now, Sage can relax and enjoy the holiday spirit, the company of her family and the playful nipping of eight tiny balls of fluff. Tomorrow the story will change. Tomorrow her household and maternal work start again. But today, it's Thanksgiving, and she is content.

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