Life Stories

her face looked tired, sad and old
perhaps she was all of these things
that morning she sat down next to me
on a plush chair in the waiting room
she lowered her body down slowly
with a moan of exhaustion and pain
I smiled at her and offered a “Hello
how are you today?” never expecting
any more than the usual pleasantries
often exchanged between two strangers
what happened next was a replay
of what has so often happened to me

she turned to me and began to tell me
the things that were burdening her heart
poor health, family and financial problems,
tears filled her eyes, fell down her face
I listened, simply listened and touched
her aging hand in honest sympathy for
I honestly felt her pain and needed
to comfort her in some small way
“I'm so sorry. God has not forgotten you”
I squeezed her hand as my name was
called and I left her there still waiting
when I returned she was already gone

I could only hope a brief conversation
with a sympathetic stranger had helped
sometimes people just need a listening ear
and someone who will not judge them
as weak or unthankful, sometimes we
need words of comfort from somewhere
when no one close to us seems to care
we should train ourselves to take time
to listen and encourage the hurting ones
there are millions of life stories, waiting
for someone to hear them, to care and
perhaps immortalize them with a pen