Late last year, my friend Laura’s dog was hit by a car. Laura and her husband Jon rushed their beloved pet to an emergency vet even though they could see that she wasn’t going to make it. Because of COVID, they had to hand Daisy off at the door, and eventually Jon was called inside. Laura stayed in the parking lot, leaning against the side of her car and crying.
After a few minutes, a woman appeared out of nowhere and walked up to Laura. The woman said, “I know there’s a pandemic, and I can’t give you a hug, but you shouldn’t be all by yourself right now, so I’m going to stand here with you until your husband comes back.” And she did.
That woman didn’t know Laura. All she knew was that Laura was suffering. And that’s all she needed to know. She saw a fellow human in distress and came to stand beside her. She couldn’t fix the situation; she didn’t try. She just stood there. Her silent solidarity was a great gift to Laura.
That woman’s kindness gives me hope. She saw suffering and she moved toward it. That’s what God does. May it be what we do, too.
Blessings,
Anne
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