A few years ago, I was sitting in church when a newly ordained priest was saying the sacrament prayer for the first time. He kept making mistakes and having to start over. After about the fourth time, I noticed that the woman sitting next to me was pounding her fist and saying, "Come on! Come on!"
Now, this woman is one of those that's always dressed to the nines and demands perfection from everyone around her. You would understandably think that she was angry and frustrated that the sacrament was taking so long.
But a few weeks earlier she had told me about her son who had a horrible stuttering problem and how it would just be agonizing for her to see him suffer through trying to say the sacrament prayer.
She wasn't angry or frustrated. She was sympathizing and her heart was aching for this young man and his struggles that she knew oh so well.
When he finally got through the prayer, she grabbed my hand and smiled at me.
Now I smile thinking of her and how grateful I am that she let me into her life, so that I could better understand her and in turn, better understand all those around me. Thank you.
2 comments:
On the verge of tears here.
GEO -- yeah, I think that you're the only one who actually knows this woman I was sitting next to. Love it!
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