The woman in the corner of my eye looked familiar. She came to the restaurant counter, stood next to me and spoke to the man taking orders. Her voice was distinct, and I knew it was her: the woman who'd lived at the end of my street over twenty five years ago. We'd spent many hours in conversation. She'd lifted my life with her courage and stories. Now what was I going to do?
She didn't recognize me; I was hungry and in a hurry, and she was about to start lunch. I could have kept pretending I didn't know her. But I did know her. I didn't walk away.
As I reached the edge of her table, she struggled to place me in the time capsule of her life. "Now tell me who you are and why you look so familiar."
We hugged. We smiled. She had at least one more important story to tell, at least one more lesson to teach me. She'd been in a horrific car accident and while recuperating after surgery, while enduring pain and loss, while holding up her hand to show me that part of it was missing, she had the impression that she needed to bear her afflictions well, for her example would be how her family would endure the afflictions that would come upon them in the future.
Ten years passed and her son got cancer, "And you know what?" she asked, "He handled it just like I'd handled my accident--with a positive attitude and the energy to heal, and he beat it."
The waiter sets her food on the table. My five minutes are up. I don't know if I'll ever see her again. But that's all it took~~ five minutes~~ for her to lift me again with her courage and her stories.
She didn't recognize me; I was hungry and in a hurry, and she was about to start lunch. I could have kept pretending I didn't know her. But I did know her. I didn't walk away.
As I reached the edge of her table, she struggled to place me in the time capsule of her life. "Now tell me who you are and why you look so familiar."
We hugged. We smiled. She had at least one more important story to tell, at least one more lesson to teach me. She'd been in a horrific car accident and while recuperating after surgery, while enduring pain and loss, while holding up her hand to show me that part of it was missing, she had the impression that she needed to bear her afflictions well, for her example would be how her family would endure the afflictions that would come upon them in the future.
Ten years passed and her son got cancer, "And you know what?" she asked, "He handled it just like I'd handled my accident--with a positive attitude and the energy to heal, and he beat it."
The waiter sets her food on the table. My five minutes are up. I don't know if I'll ever see her again. But that's all it took~~ five minutes~~ for her to lift me again with her courage and her stories.
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