An Encounter of Compassion

Today, while on my lunch break, I sat in the park near my job enjoying the beautiful melody of the carefree birds serenade.  It was a perfect place to snatch a few moments of serenity and solitude before heading back to the monotony of daily life.

  Stretching my legs before me, I basked in the bright sunshine, however out of the corner of my eye I saw an elderly lady sitting alone on another park bench with her head slightly bowed, and shoulders slumped.  People walked by the woman and never said a word.

Looking at my watch, I knew I had exactly forty-five minutes to spare.  Getting up, I leisurely moved towards her.  With each step closer, I could hear her soft weeping.  I could easily walk by and not give it another thought, but something was troubling this poor woman and thus the reason I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to help.

Careful as to not frighten the woman, I eased onto the bench beside her.  Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I asked God to supply me with the right words to say, that what I say might offer some comfort to her.

“I don’t mean to startle you, but I saw you here and felt the need to come over and make sure you were alright.”

The elderly woman’s head slowly lifted, pain filled hazel eyes looked to me, while more tears streamed down her weary lined face.  Slender, knarled hands reached up to wipe away the lingering tears as she replied softly.

“Today would have been our sixty-second wedding anniversary.  He has been gone now for a year. Everyday I find it so hard to get up. I don’t want to go on without him.” 

Instinctively, my arm went about her fragile shoulder as she spoke of her beloved passing.  Knowing all too well the emotional toll a loved ones death takes on those left behind.

She sighed. 

“I have been there where you are, I lost my husband three years ago in a car accident.  We had only been married two months.  Like you, I didn’t see any reason for living anymore until one day I had a visit from the Pastor of a local church just down the road from where we lived.  He told me about a man that could help me through this difficult time in my life.  He spoke of the ultimate sacrifice paid so that my sins would be washed clean when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  It forever changed my life.  I have so much to live for now.  I still miss my husband, but God has shown me the beauty of life and one day, I will reunite with my love.”

The woman listened intently to every word spoken.  Gently she took my other hand within hers and sniffled.  “When I lost my Sam, I lost interest in God, in everything that I used to enjoy and love.”
A soft smile lifted the corners of my lips as she took my hand within her own.

“I was so angry and bitter; it took the Pastor explaining to me that we all have an appointed time to leave this world.  If we are a child of God then we will all be with our Father and Savior, along with those loved ones that have gone on before us.  It took me awhile to understand this, but I did and now I take the sweet memories of the short time spent with my love and remember that soon we will be together again.”

Silence fell between us for a brief moment, and then the elderly woman looked back at me. “Thank you for reminding me what is important.  I was wrong to doubt God.  I will be in Church Sunday morning to talk to my Pastor.  If it weren’t for God sending you to me today, I would be lying on the floor from taking too many pills.  I had it all planned out.” 

“I felt led to come and see you, we are placed in people’s life for a reason, no matter how long or short the duration.  In someway, you touch hearts and not realize it.  You have touched mine by you sharing your pain with me.  Never give up, there is God and He offers his merciful grace to each of us and that longing of peace our grieving hearts need.”

The elderly woman wrapped her other arm around me hugging me in a sweet embrace.  I could feel Gods love envelop us both as we sat there for a long moment.  Pulling back she looked at me and smiled, something different reflected within her hazel eyes, that weren’t there before.  “I am going to share what God has done for me with my family and church family.” 

Slipping from her embrace I smiled to her.

“God has just given both of us a wonderful blessing.” 

Standing now, it was time for me to head back to work.  I didn’t give my name, nor did she offer hers, God knew the need and met it.  I would pray for this woman now, that God would continue to work in her life, and the lives of those she touches with her testimony.

•The moral of this story is you never know how just one compassionate act will impact the life of someone.  God loved us enough to send his son Jesus to die on the cross for us so that through Him being accepted as our Savior, we have eternal life with our Heavenly Father, and our sins forgiven.*