“Good morning.  Again.”

The pink lady smiled sympathetically as I walked past her station in the hospital’s lobby to the padded seat in the waiting area.  I’ve been there for several early morning sojourns in the last couple of weeks.

There are more to come.

I’ve mentioned that I don’t do early mornings before, haven’t I?  These haven’t been voluntary, but necessary.  I don’t volunteer for early mornings.

Oh, wait.  I did, didn’t I?  Volunteer.

And, I’ll do it again.

Tomorrow is another one.  An early morning.  That’s why this is going to be short. 

But, I thought you needed to know—you who do this all the time.  I’m talking to you who volunteer for the early mornings—and the long afternoons—and the interminably long nights.

It matters; what you do matters.  You matter.

A friend sent a note this morning, as I sat in one of those waiting rooms.  She wanted me to know that I was a blessing to the lady for whom I was biding my time.

I mentioned to her that I was simply doing what was in front of me to do.  Then I wondered if that’s what being faithful is about.

I’m still mulling that one over.  I may think about it in the waiting room of another facility tomorrow morning.

But, my friend who sent the note about being a blessing was the one who actually blessed me by writing the words.

So, I’m just passing it on. 

You know who you are.  In your homes—the hospitals—the nursing homes—the prisons—the hospices. 

You are a blessing.

You are.

I just thought you should know.

 

“Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
    Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.”
(Psalm 5:3, NLT)

“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
(1 Corinthians 4:2, NIV)

 

© Paul Phillips. He’s Taken Leave. 2024. All Rights Reserved.