Today is Friday and I'm so glad it is! It has been a lovely day. I went to work and got caught up with some things and amidst the hustle a coworker came in midmorning. She is a sweetheart...but she can be pretty tough, too! I say that with a smile because despite her tough exterior, her heart of gold and genuine concern for others is evident...she just likes for people to do what they should do...and do it right, thank you very much!
Anyhow, my officemate and I asked after her grandson because we learned that he has been having a rough time. He is a special-needs boy with some pretty serious medical conditions. He will never speak. He will never walk. He’s is like a baby - sweet innocence and total dependence. I believe he is about nine or ten...but I could be off a year or two in either direction. Point is he is a young boy that has endured many difficult things and all without the ability to communicate his feelings and needs. It is a heartbreaking situation. My coworker calls him "her angel," and I really do believe that is what he is. I believe through her grandson’s life, my coworker, her family and the caretakers that come into contact with him all have an opportunity to grow in their God-given purpose. They have the chance to appreciate life and to not take blessings for granted. They have the chance to show unconditional love to someone completely dependant on them for everything.
Anyhow, my coworker shared that her grandson was still having problems with sleeping and was still experiencing small seizures. I was saddened by the news and promised to pray for him...and that was pretty much that...until I began to think about things a little more.
Mindful living...is thoughtful living...and what use is it to commit to celebrate the spirit of Christmas for 365 days if you are not mindful of situations that could blossom into beautiful opportunities? How many of us run into situations like this where we find out that someone is going through a rough patch and we sympathize with the person and we commit to pray for them...but what do we actually DO? Don't get me wrong, doing "prayer" is a very, very powerful thing. But do we ever stop to consider if there is anything else that we could do that would help us live out the commandments to love others as we love ourselves AND to do unto others as we would like to have done to us. Now please bear with me as I try to explain...
How many of us go through situations at times and end up feeling like no one really cares. We share our heart with some people and they say they'll pray and give us a hug or two and then that's that. From our end, we still very much feel alone. But how about those times that a friend actually does something sweet and kind for us? They give us a flower next time they see us or they invite us to lunch or they write a small note of encouragement or bring us our favorite chocolate... Well - it lights up our day! Oftentimes those gestures aren't hugely ostentatious...just thoughtful. I know when I have received small tokens of love it has made a world of a difference in my mood and my outlook. So that is how we like to be treated, right? Ideally, when we share our hearts and we're going through something tough, it’s really nice when people do thoughtful, little gestures to encourage us.
So...how many times do we actually take the time to do something nice for others when they are going through a rough patch? How many times do we encounter an opportunity to spread a little cheer but we'd rather not be inconvenienced? I know my answer is: too many! But not today…
I thought about her grandson and I thought about what he might find soothing and during my lunch hour, I went to Target and got a bottle of sleepy time baby lotion, the softest baby blanket I could find and a CD of sweet, classical lullabies. I put everything in a bag and wrote a card to my coworker telling her how much I appreciated her example of selfless love and I just wanted her to be blessed. Well - I got teary-eyed as she was so grateful...she had the biggest, warmest smile ever...and that was that. Not only was she blessed...I was blessed, too. I felt satisfied in a very good way that as I am trying to live out my faith, for this one moment, I had succeeded. I had blessed her and been a light in a dark place...and knowing that I was actually obeying Jesus' desire for my life...well - priceless! Now when she sees the blanket or listens to the CD, I pray she knows that she is cared about…even if I’m not her best friend…that there is someone out there who is praying for her and hoping she and her family are well.
And how tough was it to accomplish all that? Not very…20 minutes and a couple of bucks. I really wonder why I don’t do more things like that. Because I’m too busy? Because I don’t want to be bothered? Because I’m nervous of being rejected? And are any of those truly valid reasons why we can’t show our love and concern? Are people not worth our time and efforts? I think they are…but can we break out of our bubble long enough to show them? Definitely something to consider…
The night ended on a date with my husband. We didn't do anything super exciting as I am still recovering from my upper respiratory stuff...we just went to dinner...and the dollar store where we picked up $20 worth of Bingo prizes for the nursing home. I don't know what tomorrow will bring...but I'm excited for Sunday to get here so we can see our friends, Ms. Pauline and Ms. Helen, as well as the others at Bingo.
Until tomorrow...
Annie
How Radical is that? To actually listen to God and obey-with regularity. To stop what, at the moment, seems important, and deal with the person in front of us, like Jesus and the woman who touched the hem of his garment. I hope this idea is contagious.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, you are such an inspiration to me, and I'm sure, many others. I know the co-worker you speak of, her struggles and her love for her grandson. Thank you for being the face of God to her.
ReplyDelete