Today I left work a little bit early. I was frustrated with this week's Monday. Mondays are usually bad anyways, but this Monday has been especially bad. I found out I got a D- on my latest exam (after walking out of the testing center thinking I had probably gotten an A) and I was the only one on phones at work for a while, talking to angry and irritated people about their financial aid. At one point I felt like walking out and letting the phone ring off the hook. But I didn't.
I was driving home with the window down. The wind was playing with my hair as I listened to "Love Story" by Taylor Swift. I was thinking about a dance I went to a few weeks ago where I danced to that song...
Then I had the thought to turn right and take a short cut home. As I did I saw ahead of me on the left and older woman in a wheelchair. I kept driving and as I passed her I felt so sad that this older woman would be pushing herself in her wheelchair around town. I rounded a corner and her image kept coming back to me. I wanted to help, but what could I do? I am not strong, I am not smart or brave. I thought:
What would Jesus do? Jesus would go back. He would help her. He would push her so her arms could rest.
I could do that!
I made a quick left into a parking lot and turned around searching for the woman in the wheelchair. She was halfway across a parking lot at this point. I parked my car and literally jumped out to catch up with her.
"Ma'am? Can I help you out?" I heard my voice say.
"No, oh no I'm fine" her clear voice rang out.
As I came closer I saw that she was missing one leg. There were trash bags that were tied to the sides of her wheelchair, full of who knows what-food, clothes, and other things. She was wearing a jacket and had a beautiful scarf tied around her head. But these things paled in comparison to her face.
There were beautiful wrinkles across her forehead as she talked and around her eyes when the corners of her mouth turned up into an almost smile. She had age freckles and her hair was thinning. But her most amazing feature were her clear blue eyes-like a crystal blue tropical ocean.
I walked next to her as she wheeled to the bookstore. We talked. She was so open and so intelligent that I was surprised. I suppose I had expected someone without their memory and experiences intact. We talked about Thoreau, Emerson, Hawthorne and Louisa May Alcott. Some of my favorite people! I wondered how long it had been since she had been able to talk about these authors with someone...let alone how long it had been since she had talked to someone who cared to listen. It kind of hurt me a little to think of that.
I told her that I am writing a paper about Emerson and the address that he gave at the Harvard Divinity School..and how important religion is to me. She spoke about how she believes in a Diety, and how long it took her to get there. I could tell that this shared faith in God helped to brighten her day.
I told her how important the prophet Joseph Smith is. I shared the miraculous story of the First Vision and how Joseph saw God and Jesus Christ, and how They really did speak to him.
She was quiet for a little while, but the conversation resumed. After some time, she told me that she really needed to go catch her bus home. I asked her if she would like a
Book of Mormon, because I would like to give her one. So I ran (literally! my knees are killing right now) to get one and brought it back in the store. She seemed excited to get to read it. I don't think that anyone has ever given her a Book of Mormon before. I was so pleased to do so. I wrote a short note in the front about how the book has changed my life and then handed it to her. She put it in one of her grocery bags and we said our goodbyes. She took my phone number. I really hope that she calls.
How grateful I am for the lessons I learned today from this kind woman. I hope that I will never ignore an opportunity to do exactly what the Savior would do were He here on the earth.
