Thursday, January 24, 2013

Touching Souls

Yes, we finally got some of the white stuff.
I have had a series of medical tests lately.  I have not written about them because this path of discovery is nothing serious and I am remaining optimistic for a solution.  The symptoms are vague and hardly debilitating and therefore not worth the tale.  But the doctor's visits are.

I was waiting in line in one office to pick up some documentation to take to another doctor, when the body movements of the elderly man in front of me caused me to breathe in quickly.  He had the same body build of my dad and the same body language.  When he turned to his wife, an elderly woman in a wheel chair with a left leg amputation, handing her some paperwork and speaking in a soft gravely voice, it completed the deja vu.  Suddenly tears came to my eyes.  His gentle and self-conscious manner so reminded me of my dad that I was going to start crying right there in the reception area.  I had to turn and sit down in a corner of the room until I caught my breath.

The man gently turned the wheel chair and pushed it toward the door leaning across his wife's lap to push down on the door handle.  He asked quietly of his wife is she was ready to hold the door open with her foot.  I jumped up and held it open for them trying to hide my tears.  They both thanked me and went on their way to the parking lot not noticing anything amiss.

The next day I was picking up some blood test results from another doctor's office, and after getting the paperwork, was deep in thought about a short drive I had to take to a nearby town for a meeting that I was attending.  A 40-ish woman dressed casually, hair in a pony tail, and wearing sun glasses preceeded me into the elevator.  There were only two floors to this medical building so she pushed the lower button back to the parking lot for the both of us.  Then she broke the silence by staring at the elevator buttons and saying in a broken voice, "I just got some bad news."

"I am so sorry." I replied suddenly giving her my full attention.

"I have to go into the hospital."  She looked at me with her dark sunglasses and I could not read her eyes.

"That is such sad news, but I am sure you will be fine."  I added ignorant of her illness.

She touched her right arm.  "I have a deep vein thrombosis in my arm.  I am so scared."  She held back a sob.

 "That is scary."  I said.  "But they have so many great technologies these days, I am sure you will be back home soon."

"I am just afraid."

I hesitated not sure what to add.   "You need a hug."  I wrapped her in a big hug thinking she may be going home alone to no one...no one to touch her or cheer her up.

She sobbed a little and thanked me.

As we left the elevator she smiled and thanked me again for my love.  "I just thought these things only happened in your legs."  I knew I was taking a chance bringing a political figure into the conversation, but was trying to hard to find something to encourage her, so I added "Hillary Clinton just recovered from a serious clot in her brain and she is doing fine."

We reached our cars and she turned once again, thanked me a third time and then said "She did, didn't she?"

I thought about that woman all the way home and thanked the energies that prevail that I was there and that she did not have to ride that elevator alone.  I was so glad to be there.

And, yes, my medical issues stand insignificant.

32 comments:

  1. Those chance encounters with strangers are priceless in this tapestry of life, Tabor. Needless to say, I’m keeping good thoughts for you. All is well.

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  2. Having gone through a scare or two myself, a couple of them with no one to talk to about it, i want to thank you for taking that time out to be there for her.

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  3. I love you.

    This is what we are here for. This is what human beings are supposed to be for each other. Love. We're just supposed to love.

    Thank you for sharing this with us. It really touched me.

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  4. I am not a religious person, but I see angels at work sometimes. This is one of them.

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  5. Oh Tabor, I read this and my eyes are filled with tears.
    Special thoughts going out to you at this very moment and wish I could hug you.
    Going through tests. doctor visits is unsettling. Something I am experiencing at this time and do not like sharing when I write but find some of it surfacing.
    Again you are remembered by "me"
    and I do believe in Angels!

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  6. It is good you were there to encourage the woman. I think the smiles we give to strangers, a few words about a nice day, helping maybe in a grocery store reaching a shelf or reading a label, they are the little things and yet mean a lot to us and others.

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  7. We never know the role we might play in the troubled life of someone, or the importance of a hug or word of sympathy. You are obviously a person with a generous spirit.

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  8. Being there for other people is a very special gift. Blessings on you and your medical troubles.

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  9. It's difficult to know how to respond to other's troubles sometimes. I guess we should just go with what feels right, like you did.

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  10. I know that she feels better for having had you on that elevator. I was getting my teeth cleaned some years ago when the tech mentioned that she had some scary news and scary tests and was leery of getting an even scarier answer. I asked what was wrong and she burst into tears, saying she had to have a breast biopsy. She was apologetic for breaking down and I told her not to worry; that I had had one too, and that the majority of them are benign. She said she felt better for telling someone and getting a caring response. We never know when we are going to be able to help someone.

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  11. P.S. I do hope you are going to be all right.

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  12. Dear Tabor, you did well. Kindness is worth more than love even.
    I am also glad you shed tears for your father so unexpectedly. It means that the mourning process is doing right by you.

    Stay as good and kind as you are.

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  13. You are so thoughtful and kind person. I'm glad that I had encountered you in this vast internet world.

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  14. That woman that needed someone at that time was lucky to share that space at that time with a person like you.

    You were just what she needed!

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  15. I hope you are riding my elevator if I ever receive bad news like that.

    Sometimes I see my Mom out in a crowd of people. It does take your breath away.

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  16. What a great blog... Glad you could help that couple and that young woman... Amazing how things happen like this --when we have a chance to help someone else, even when we are hurting ourselves.

    I have seen very elderly people that remind me of my parents (or G's mother) at times. It always makes me teary...

    Yes---we think our problems are major until we just look around and see what others are going through... I will pray for you though --and hope that your medical problems will soon be 'fixed'...

    God Bless.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  17. So glad that you were there at the right time for that woman -- your compassionate feelings surly helped -- barbara

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  18. How good that you were there. This is such a great story & good way to begin my day.

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  19. Tabor: this is a wonderful post. Bless you for comforting that woman when she was obviously scared and worried. i too see my parents - in church, in a song, in the scent of a flower. the shock is real and jolting, but i come away from encounters like that with a warm sense of calm and awe - like they're still there with me.

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  20. We all take our turns wearing wings. I am glad you got the chance to.

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  21. I read your post today, Tabor, then went to Kat's as you suggested (thanks!), and now I'm here. Whew!

    You and Kat are angels. You have reminded me to pay attention to others, and to jump in with love and kindness when needed. Like today - I will write a letter to my cousin who is on dialysis, something that I have procrastinated in doing for weeks.

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  22. I'm glad you took advantage of being in the right place at the right time and make a difference that has a rippling effect. It's inspiring.

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  23. Anonymous1:19 AM

    What a moving post. So glad you were there to share your love.

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  24. Our friend Mikey is recovering well from one of those in his lungs. Yes, thank you for being there for you despite your own concerns. You are wonderful.

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  25. smiles...i am glad you were to to give the hug...its scary and hard...but we are in this life together and help each other through...def a needed touch...

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  26. What a beautiful thing to do. I am sure she will be remembering your encouragement and your hug as she goes through her treatment. Blessings.

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  27. Sometimes I think these "chance" encounters are not so "chance." Sometimes we are just where we're needed. I hope your own medical issues are soon resolved.

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  28. I came here via Kat's post. You ARE an angel. You both remind me of this passage that I think of all the time:

    Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

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  29. I like that you wrote about the man that reminded you of your dad. It makes it feel as if the two events are connected somehow. And who are we to say that they're not. Thank you for your kind heart. May we all recognize when someone is in need of a simple but fortifying hug.

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  30. deeply touched... :-). Feel similar energies are everywhere...here too, at this moment.
    Good that the medical issues stand insignificant!

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  31. So good of you to lend support n comforting "You'll be fine" to the one in need. Sometimes we all seek that hug- when feeling so alone in our troubles. You are an angel-

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  32. Tabor, I do hope you are going to be all right!

    It's so important a hug or a word of sympathy. You are a very generous and solidary person.

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Take your time...take a deep breath...then hit me with your best shot.