Touched by a Christian in a Parking Garage

I was leaving a meeting at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center in Hyattsville and was heading to a doctor’s appointment in Chevy Chase. I had about 75 minutes in between so I decided to visit a parishioner in Washington Hospital Center who had just undergone her third brain procedure.

 During my previous visit she had not been able to respond and was heavily medicated. I entered the room and found her asleep. I whispered her name. There was no response. I said it a bit louder. Still nothing. I was saddened, assuming that the surgery had not been successful. I stood there for a while praying for. As I went to leave, I blessed her and gently touched her hand. At this, her eyes opened, a huge smile lit up her face and in a big loud voice she said, “Padreeeeee.”

My worse fears had been unfounded; the operation had been a success. We chatted about the plan for recovery, about the goodness of God and how soon she might be discharged.

Then I remembered that I had an appointment to get to, now with no time to spare. So we said a quick prayer of gratitude, I blessed her and returned through the maze that is Washington Hospital Center feeling joyful. That’s how I felt, joyful that this wonderful young woman was on the road to recovery.

As I returned to my car there was a huge line for the people to pay the fee and exit. It wrapped around the garage like a huge anaconda. What was worse, it had my car boxed in. I hopped into the car, started it up and inched a bit out, hoping that the next person would see my lights and let me back out and get in the line.

 That’s not what the first driver did. Nor the next one. At this point I felt all that joy seeping from my pores replaced by frustration at being late. (I don’t like to be late -- it’s in my blood.)

Then I heard a beep from behind and there was a woman with a big smile waving me to pull out in front of her. I gratefully pulled out, a little too fast as I almost hit a car going up the ramp, and got in the line.

Once in the line I discovered that the more accurate metaphor for this line was not a fast-moving snake, but another member of the reptilian family -- the giant tortoise. I was going to be late! Then, a bit in front of me, I saw a car trying to enter into the line. The first car didn’t let him in, nor the second. I was the third. I looked at the clock; I was already running five minutes behind.

 Then I looked in the rear-view mirror and there was the woman who had let me in, a big smile on her face, singing away to the radio. I stopped and flashed my lights to tell the other driver to pull out in front of me.

The man pulled out quickly, not waving or acknowledging my gesture. Normally it would bother me a bit, but not this day. I kept looking back at this woman singing along, her head joyfully bouncing back and forth to the music. When I got to the cashier, I opened the window to pay. I turned off the radio so I could hear how much I owed. A moment later the woman behind me must have opened her window as well. I could hear the music she was listening to. It was Gospel.

I smiled. I felt different as I drove away. I had been touched by a fellow Christian, joyfully living out her faith. Her generosity, her kindness and her example changed the way I experienced the rest of the day. I didn’t feel rushed. I got there 10 minutes late and the appointments were all backed up so I ended up waiting anyway.

 I felt peaceful for the rest of the day. On the ride back in afternoon rush hour, I found myself looking out for people trying to enter the main roadways and letting them in. I think that it started to frustrate the man behind me, because as soon as he could pass me, he did, glaring at me as he passed. I smiled back.

As I write this reflection I am thinking of this woman with the big smile, the bopping head, and the small gesture that made an impact on my day. It brightens meup today, two weeks later.

We never know what God will do with our small kindnesses; we never know whose day we might change.

 In the Reflections of a Franciscan Gardener,  Fr Mike writes reflections weekly on finding the presence of God in everyday life a week at http://reflectionsofafranciscangardener.blogspot.com/