I hobbled into the waiting room of the podiatrist office, muttering under my breath. An injured toe, of all things. Really? I sat down and thought about my to do list, the post-it notes with reminders tucked in my purse, the busy day ahead of me. I don’t have time for this. I needed to pull myself together, take care of this, and move on with my day.
The waiting room was full, but I wasn’t paying attention to anyone as I filled out the patient forms. A few minutes later, I was startled by a frail little hand patting my arm. When I looked up, the sweetest eyes met mine – an elderly woman had sat down next to me, and I hadn’t even noticed.
“Sweetie, you need to breathe,” she said, smiling. “You’re holding your breath, but it’s all going to be okay.” She was right. My body had been absorbing all the stress, and I was barely breathing. But how did she know? And why was she noticing me? I finished the forms, and we started talking. Her encouraging voice made me feel like I was talking to Mom. It was close to the anniversary of Mom’s homegoing, and this was a sweet reminder. “When you get to be my age, those little things become very big and important,” she said at one point in our conversation. She also had a busy life, and she recognized the look on my face
when I was holding my breath, plowing through the forms. “I learned that breathing isn’t optional. It’s very necessary.” We both laughed, and she continued. “I needed not only to breathe, but breathe it ALL in. Breathe in God’s wonderful goodness. Breathe in the joys of another day. Just breathe.”
Her life had not been easy, and her stories were heartbreaking. She should have been the one holding her breath, but she was smiling and inhaling and exhaling as if she didn’t have a worry
in the world. “Even in the middle of tragedy, just breathe in His presence. He is only a breath away.”
A nurse appeared and called my name, and my new friend patted my arm again. “Just keep breathing,” she said with a wink. “God has you. And yes, even your toe is going to be fine.”
After my appointment, on my way out, I asked the receptionist if the little lady I had been talking with was still there. I wanted
to thank her. The two women at the desk seemed confused. “We thought she was with you,” one of the receptionists said. “As soon as you went back to see the doctor, she left.”
Some people don’t believe in angels, but I believe her presence in that waiting room had a purpose. I needed someone to comfort me on that harried, frustrating day. The woman reminded me of what I already knew but had forgotten in the middle of my worries. Heaven sent me a reminder that I needed to stop, breathe, and be present. Count my blessings. Know
that God is only a breath away, caring about every moment – even a wobbly toe!
Many of us find the busy season causes us to hold our breath. Maybe the holidays are more difficult this year because of loss, loneliness, or stress. Christmas is a season when we should
inhale and exhale all the goodness around us and find rest in those breaths. May we all learn to be present wherever we are. My angel friend reminded me God is only a breath away, caring
about each moment and guiding us to the peace that awaits us during this season.
#bepresent #angelsamongus #merrychristmas